


The Great Russian Tragedy

by The_Cynical_Writer



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-10-29 00:20:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 26,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10842537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Cynical_Writer/pseuds/The_Cynical_Writer
Summary: December 10, 1984. The Class 50 of Hope's Peak Academy is on its way to Cologne, West Germany, to attend the Golden Anniversary Fair. Unfortunately, the plane they're riding crashed in the middle of nowhere, and now, 22 students are forced to play a killing game in a campsite specially prepared for them, under the supervision of the so-called "Manager." Will they be able to escape the Camp of Mutual Killing?





	1. Prologue: The Crash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Twenty-two survivors, none dead so far. Hopefully.

December 10, 1984. My friends and I are extremely pumped for this event. Our class will go to Cologne, to attend the Golden Anniversary Fair, hosted by the Academy itself. By the name of the event, we will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the institution. There will be a lot of events happening, and it will all culminate on the Golden Milestone, which will be celebrated in December 24. As I board the plane, excitement runs through my veins. I can see everyone filled with hope in anticipation for this event. This will be great...

_BANG!_

Suddenly, something broke down on the plane. The pilot is still trying to save the plane, but to no avail. They started getting parachutes and jumped off. We just sat down on our seats, bracing ourselves for our inevitable fate. The feeling of hope inside turned into fear. The plane gradually descended, until...

_CRASH!_

 

My head still hurts after the plane crash. I do not know if I am still alive, or that this is all just a dream. Regardless, I opened my eyes and saw the inside of a log cabin. “I must be dreaming,” I mumbled, trying to make sense of the event. How did I end up inside a log cabin, when I went unconscious during the crash? I returned to my senses, woke up, and proceeded outside.

It was a snowy forest, which make sense, since it was in the middle of the winter season.  But I also saw identical cabins, each with a picture and a name at the door. There are 22 of them in total, including mine. Suddenly, I heard a voice.

“Attention everyone, please proceed to the meeting area.”

At first, I had no idea where that was, but there was a couple of signs leading the way. I walked down the beaten path, following the signs showing the direction to go to the meeting area. After a couple of minutes of walking, I arrived there. To my surprise, I am not alone in this peculiar situation. 21 of my classmates were there as well.

“You were just in time, the announcement’s about to start,” one of them said to me.

After a couple of seconds, a man, clad in black, head to toe, appeared on the stage. “Welcome, everyone! I hope you enjoy our surprise school camping trip in Siberia. Unexpected, isn’t it?” he announced. “Now, you may be wondering as to why you are here. Well, you will all be participating in a game. The rules are simple, really.

Kill someone, and get away with it.

The killing is the easy part. The ‘getting away with it,’ on the other hand, will be hard. So, I’ll be giving an incentive to anyone fulfilling the goal of this game. Whoever kills someone, and gets away with it, gets to leave the camp, and back to normal life. To everyone else, however, they will all be punished for not figuring it out. But, if the murderer did not get away with the act, he will be punished, and everyone else will live another day. Is that clear?” he said, when suddenly, someone shouted.

“I will not play your stupid game!” one of my classmates shouted, before sprinting off into the wilderness. She is obviously trying to escape, without having blood in her hands. She ran like a bat out of hell. A couple of minutes later....

A loud bang was heard. Something exploded. “Okay, we no longer have to deal with that troublesome prick. She’s gone now, no questions!” he said, shocking the audience. That woman was Sadako Sateshima, the Class 50 Track Runner. She was a close friend of mine, and it was a shame she died early into this game. She always have a habit of running away from problems instead of solving them.

“Anyways, as lovingly demonstrated by Ms. Sateshima, the perimeter is littered with landmines. Oh, and there are also other rules. In general, they are: No planning to escape by any other means, no unnecessary violence, and no littering. Your cabins will be locked past 10:00 PM, and anyone caught outside their cabins will be sent back there automatically. More rules will be found at the Survivalist’s Handbook at your pockets. It also includes basic wilderness training, like a guide to berries and mushrooms, and tying knots. That’s all, thank you.” he said, as he exited the stage. Immediately afterwards, another student tackled him. Grabbing a knife from his pocket, he tried stabbing the man in the heart, but then, he started twitching. He dropped the knife, and grabbed his chest, before starting to cough up blood. His left arm starts to turn purple. A minute later, he started vomiting blood. He was staggering all across the meeting area, turning paler by the second. At last, after another minute, he fell down the ground, dead.

The student, by the way, was Taichi Nakamura, the Class 50 Soldier. He was very prone to unnecessary and needless violence, and may be involved in the murder of one of the Reserve Course students. However, if you get to know him, he is very kind and very loyal.

The man stood up, and said, “Forgot to say this one rule: No violence against the Camp Manager, which is me. Anyways, have fun, and happy camping!” The audience was pale with shock. Two students have died at the first day of the camp. And now the Camp Manager made this into a killing game, I am expecting that they won’t be the last.

And so, I said to my classmates, “I know, we know each other, but just to make things easier, let’s get everyone’s name and talent, shall we? Perhaps this may help us reestablish old friendships and even restore trust in others. I’ll start: My name is Nozomu Kanagawa, Class 50 Novelist.”

“I’ll follow as well,” I recognized that voice in an instant. It was my closest friend, Fumimaro Naegi, Class 50 Lucky Student.” At this point, trust is starting to build up in the air. However, most of the students are still reluctant.

Eventually, someone rose up, and went to the stage.

“My name is Hideki Koizumi, the Class 50 Public Speaker. There is nothing to fear. We are all classmates. We will not give in to the person who trapped us here. We will not lose hope. We’ll keep on fighting on—“

“You are just convincing people to say their names and talents, aren’t you? Calm down, such speech is unnecessary. Makoto Shiroyama here, Class 50 Chemist.”

“No one cuts me off!” Hideki shouted. It seems that a fight might break out, but...

“Calm down everybody. Needless violence will only bring pain and suffering to everyone. Just look at what happened to my brother. Miaya Nakamura, Class 50 Peacekeeper.”

“Why do we even bother about surviving this mess? We’ll still die anyway,” a sad voice asked.

“Oh, cut it out. Just say your name and talent, even if you’re pretty much the Class 50 Edgy Teen.” Makoto sharply answered.

“Oh please. You are flattering me with your petty insults. Someone is definitely compensating for something. Fine, my name is Junpei Hanamura, the Class 50 Philosopher.”

“Stop!” Miaya shouted, embarrassing Makoto. “Apologies for Makoto, he is just very rude and hot-headed,” she then said to Junpei.

“Anyways, what is your name, young lady?” Fumimaro asked to a woman, who is looking pretty scared.

“None of your business.” the lady rudely replied.

“Oh, sorry. She is just feeling very defensive. My name is Sakura Hosokawa, and her name is Ayumi Hinata. I am the Class 50 Heir, and she is the Class 50 Composer. Again, sorry for her behavior.”

“Hosokawa?” Fumimaro asked, looking puzzled.

“Yes, that Hosokawa. That’s why my talent is Heir: I am next in line for succession.” Sakura said, with a smile.

“Well, enough with your nonsensical introductions. We have something else to focus on. My name is Maria Tsukuda, the Class 50 Note Taker. Here, I compiled a list of all the other people here, just so you will not waste time.”

“Then it seems that it is safe to reveal myself. My name is Yuu Nanami.”

“Oh, Yuu. You mysterious person. What’s your talent anyway? You haven’t mentioned it since we first arrived at the Academy,” Makoto said.

“Still keeping it a secret. Anyways, I can’t help but notice something. Where are the other 17 students?” Yuu asked.

“Yeah, they probably died in the crash. Their bodies were then removed by the mastermind.” Maria coldly replied.

“Makes sense...” Yuu said.

Night quickly fell after that. We went to the mess hall for dinner. Against Maria’s orders, we continued the introductions.

“My name is Akira Yamaguchi, the Class 50 Surgeon. Pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure to meet you too.” I replied.

“Ugh, this food is trash. I would call this prison food, but I’m afraid that’s unconstitutional,” a person complained.

“Hey, you should be thankful about your meal. In fact, you should be thankful the mastermind feeds us in the first place.” another person responded.

“I sense a fight brewing...” yet another person said.

“What is your name anyway?” I asked to the complainer.

“Kirigaya Hakone, Class 50 Food Critic,” he replied.

“Erin Koishikawa, Class 50 Pyrotechnician. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hakone,” his seatmate said to him.

“Should I be worried right now? This food is too bitter for my taste. Might be poisoned, but you’ll never know,” Kirigaya said.

“No, the chef is just terrible at cooking. At worst, you may get a stomachache. Erika Hayashi, Class 50 Poison Technician.”

“Poison Technician? Well, I know who to first suspect when someone inevitably dies in this dinner table.” Makoto replied.

“Don’t you worry about it, since I also know how they work, and make a perfect antidote against them. However, if you want to seriously think I am a cold-blooded murderer, better start cooking your own meals,” Erika said, while twirling a flask of clear liquid around.

“You keep a portrait of Lucresia at your bedroom, don’t you?” Makoto bitingly asked.

“Stop, now is not the time for convoluted murder plots and petty insults. Just finish your meals.” I responded, with Erika putting the flask down.

“By the way, has no one made a comment about the foreign exchange students?” Erin asked.

“Oh, the Lichtenberg twins? Yeah, they’re pretty quiet. They pretty much only talk to each other. You are talking about Gregory and Stephanie, right?” Maria replied, looking at the pair at the end of the table. “They’re the Witness and the Whistleblower, respectively. They had a history of solving numerous crimes in West Germany, as well as exposing political scandals all across Europe. They are the best and the worst people you will ever meet in a crime scene, depending on your role.”

 Meanwhile, at the other end of the table,

“I saw Erika slip some suspicious liquid on a container. Watch out for her.” Gregory warned her sister.

“Noted. Also, Yuu is hiding something. It will be mere moments before we find out.” Stephanie replied.

“Are you guys plotting something? You guys are twins, Germans, and only talk to each other. Are we even sure these guys are West Germans?” a paranoid voice exclaimed.

“Shush your paranoid mouth, Mitsuhito. The profiles never lie. Or at least, they shouldn’t.” another voice responded.

“They are Communist spies! I knew it!” Mitsuhito exclaimed.

“Wow. That is a huge leap of logic there. As expected of the Class 50 Paranoiac.” the same person said.

“Hey, look who is talking. Your talent literally says you are untrustworthy. How can we be so sure, Megumi? By the way, the talent is Actor, thank you very much.” Mitsuhito replied.

“Cut it out, you two. Mitsuhito Kisanagi, now is not the time for paranoid delusions. And Megumi Saionji, don’t feed the paranoid trolls. Eat your meals in peace.” Miaya said.

“As for the rest, they are also quiet people, so let me introduce them for you. Nagisa Fukagawa, the Class 50 Softball Player, and Rantaro Murata, the Class 50 Supervisor. There, the pointless introductions are over. Now can we please focus on the meals for once?” Maria said, feeling annoyed.

After the introductions were finished, everyone started focusing on their routines. The Lichtenberg twins are still discussing matters, with Mitsuhito keeping a dirty stare. My food has gone cold because of all the listening to the introductions. Suddenly, Hanamura rose up, grabbing a fork, and stabbed Makoto in his left hand. He then suddenly grabbed Hideki by the collar, and then kicked him in the stomach. He then started making a speech.

"Listen everybody!  Trying to escape this facility is an exercise in futility. We should embrace our new lifestyle now. There is no hope for us. None. So give up. Stop. Succumb to the glorious reality of death and despair. Stop with the futile attempts at survival and escape, and embrace the awful truth. We must—“

He was then cut off by Nagisa throwing a glass of water at him. It hit him in the stomach.

“No one cares! That was sudden, unnecessary, and gratuitous. No one needs to listen to yet another one of your speeches. In fact, we aren’t even plotting escape. Just what the hell is wrong with you, huh?” Nagisa angrily asked. Then, Makoto punched him with his left arm, and Hideki kicked him in the stomach.

“This is for hurting us for no apparent reason.” they said in unison. Then, he grabbed a knife, and slit his stomach. “No one... listens...” he said, as he was clutching his bleeding gut. Suddenly, everyone looked at him with pity. Nagisa, Makoto, Hideki, and Sakura grabbed him with a chair and rushed him immediately to the infirmary. The knife was a mere steak knife, but he may still bleed out. The remaining people in the mess hall are still shocked. No one said a word, no one moved. Everyone just stared at the door, then to each other, then back at the table. A couple of minutes later, the 4 are back.

“Good thing this place is well-staffed. Otherwise, we would have to deal with yet another loss.” Sakura remarked, while still panting.

“What is up with that crazy bastard anyway?” Makoto asked with an annoyed expression in his face. “He just breaks into long, depressing, and boring speeches. Did Nietzsche possess him or something?”

“Don’t mind him. The only thing that matters now is that he is safe.” Nagisa replied.

“By the way, the cut made by the knife was pretty deep. The surgeons in the infirmary are doing their best, but it will take a pretty long time to recover.” Hideki said to the stunned crowd.

Even with their arrival, no one moved or said a word.

Everyone went back to their cabins with a sense of dread.  The deaths of Sadako and Taichi, and the attempted suicide of Junpei, all of them happened in a day. And with a cast full of characters who can’t trust each other, the body count will keep on rising. As I slept in my bed, I knew I will be having a bad time.


	2. Chapter 1-The Basics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the Camp. Two students died so far. Would this be the last, or the first students to die?

The alarm clock at the cabins are set at 7 am. I am not looking forward to this day. The deaths are still fresh in my memory, and I know everyone else is feeling the same. But, this did not hinder me. I did my morning routine, you know, taking a shower, changing clothes, all those sorts of stuff. By the way, the wardrobe is stocked with nothing but school uniforms and undergarments. They are pretty comfortable, I must admit, but it would be nice to have some variety. I grabbed my gray trench coat and dusted flat cap, put on my glasses, then proceeded to the mess hall.

To pass time, I read one of my own books, “The Forgotten Tale.” It’s about a king in his last moments, before he was executed by his own men. It’s my most popular novel yet, and that’s what got the attention of the men in the high places. I have written more works, but this one was well known. As I was getting a couple of chapters done, I saw the door open. I looked at my watch, and it was 7:30. Erika arrived at the hall at 7:30, along with Akira. They were chatting about various topics when they came, and sat down at the two seats nearest to the counter. Ten minutes later, the Lichtenberg twins came, along with Yuu. As usual, Mitsuhito was stalking the twins. Megumi came next, busy scribbling at a notebook. Then, suddenly, a loud bang was heard. She then dropped her pen and notebook, and sprinted off to Erin’s cabin. I decided to inspect the notebook. However, the writing was atrocious, and I cannot decipher anything meaningful in it. I am assuming she was about to write our names. I then started hearing steps again, so I dropped the notebook. Megumi came back with Erin, looking annoyed. “He’s setting off fireworks again. That always happens,” she said with a deadpan expression in her face. Erin was just giving the guilty look to everyone. Then, the alarm on the hall rang. It was 8:00, and it was time for breakfast. Everyone started coming in. As we sat down into the chairs in the hall, Hideki started talking.

“So, any ideas on to how to survive this camp?” he asked.

“I say, we group up. That way, everyone is at each other’s eye of sight, and no one will try to attempt any funny business.” Rantaro replied.

“Well, how about we explore the camp a bit? Maybe we can find potential clues as to why we are here.” Sakura suggested.

“The camp is pretty large, though. I checked the map.” Fumimaro said.

“Not everything in the camp could be searched, though. Some areas are marked with numbers. I did a bit of exploring, and you cannot get to these numbered areas.” Yuu added.

“Okay, so here is the plan. We split up into 4 groups. Sakura, Ayumi, Rantaro, Nagisa, and I will be one group.” Hideki said.

“Then I will be with Kirigaya, Erin, Mitsuhito, and Megumi.” Makoto said as well.

“I’ll be going with Erika, Akira, Yuu, and Maria,” Miaya said.

“Well, that leaves me with Fumimaro and the twins, I guess.” I then replied.

“Alright, we have that settled. Now that we are grouped together, we can make things much easier. Stay safe, my friends.” Hideki said, before finishing his meal.

After everyone was finished eating, we started exploring areas we can reach. After all, the Camp Master did not prohibit exploration. We started with the trash room near the mess hall. There are two large dumpsters inside, plus a locked incinerator. I also saw a key ring in a locked glass cabinet. I tried smashing it, but it was made out of tempered glass, so I don’t think that the incinerator will be relevant to any future cases soon.

Next, we explored the infirmary. The building is made out of concrete, strangely enough, and it looks like a proper hospital. There is a room filled with beds and other medical supplies. I saw Erika inside.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be with Miaya?” I asked.

“Ehh, I decided to spend the time here. It seems that no one is taking care of Junpei, so I came here.” she replied.

“Well, how is Junpei, really? Is he still alive?” I asked again.

“Yeah, he’s fine. He was just recovering from his act, but I’m sure he’ll be back in a couple of days or so.” she replied.

After that short conversation, we headed to the crash site. There, we saw Yuu’s group, investigating the place.

“None of our baggage survived the crash. By the way, where is Erika?” Yuu said.

“I saw her at the infirmary, taking care of Junpei.” Fumimaro replied.

“That’s fine then. Nothing bad happened to her, right?” Miaya asked, looking a bit worried.

“She is fine. Junpei is still at the hospital, recovering. It may take a couple of days, though.” I said to her, calming her down a bit.

I then saw the twins closely investigating the crash site.

“Weird. There are no parachutes in the plane. They must have been taken away.” Gregory said, as he inspected the plane cabin.

“The pilots and our teacher probably took the chutes and jumped off. No one knows where they went.” Stephanie added.

“What about the 17 students?” Yuu asked.

“We still don’t know.” the twins replied in unison.

“Regardless, the investigation is now over. Let’s go.” Akira said, before leaving the crash site.

We then hear another loud bang. It was the same sound we heard at the canteen, so I assumed that it was Erin’s shenanigans again. Still, we headed to the direction of the blast. We ended up at the warehouse.

The warehouse is a large compound, filled with shelves containing crates and items, from the innocuous like food and bottled water, to the potential murder tools like ropes and mallets. Fireworks are also stored inside, which was responsible for the loud bangs earlier. The obvious blast marks tipped me off to his shenanigans. We saw Erin’s group inside.

“This person keeps setting off fireworks. I swear, everyone in this class is insane.” Makoto said, with an annoyed expression in his face.

“Get used to it. At least the blasts aren’t someone blown to bits.” Erin replied, as he was holding yet another match to light yet another set of fireworks.

“Drop the match.” I commanded Erin, then asked Makoto, “What did you guys find inside? Any clues?”

As I asked that, he gave me a file. It was a blue folder, with a white paperclip attached to it. Maria grabbed the file off my hands and tucked it under her coat.

“Only I can be trusted with information this sensitive. It may be the reason why we are here.” Maria assured us, before walking off, obviously looking for Hideki’s group. We then went to the lake. It was frozen, due to the fact that it was winter. I tried walking over it, but it was pretty slippery, so I cannot keep my balance. Near the lake was a cliff, with a couple of pine trees growing on top of it. The cliff probably serves as a natural barrier for further exploration, as there is a bridge linking both of its sides, however it is blocked off by a gate. We decided to leave the area, as it was almost night.

Back at the mess hall, Hideki stood up and asked, “What did you guys find here in this place? Any clues?”

“Well, we found a warehouse, containing various items.” Makoto said.

“We found the crash site. The mysteries of the 17 classmates are still unsolved, however. What we do know is that there are no parachutes left on the plane.” Yuu added.

“There is a trash room, useful for cleaning up this place. I also found a large frozen lake, next to a cliff. There’s also a bridge crossing both sides, however it is gated off.” I said.

“By the way, I found this at the warehouse.” Maria announced, before presenting the file. “It is a student profile from someone back in Class 39. The name field was blank, however, the talent, which is Class 39 Analyst, isn’t. There’s also a stamp on his face, which says “Expelled.” There is the basic registration form, however, the documentation was missing. The presence of this file presents some questions.”

“Well, that was quite a clue. But why would such a student profile end up here?” Hideki asked.

“This is probably just a red herring. I’m sure the mastermind put that there to distract us from the reality of this camp. It will be safe to ignore it, for now.” Makoto replied.

Makoto was probably right. Our focus in the camp is to survive, not solve some ontological mystery. Besides, we know why we are here, anyways. Our plane crashed, then we were taken away by some crazed psycho. As we ended our dinner phase, we went back into our cabins. Still, there are some mysteries I want to solve. Namely, why us? Also, why is there a base camp already at the crash site, like someone was expecting our arrival? I decided to write down my ideas in a notebook of mine. After doing my nightly brain dump, I slept.


	3. Chapter 1-Relations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day two, and it seems that people are being very friendly to each other. Sure, there may be some tensions, but no one is going to die to them, right?

The sound of the atrocious alarm waked me up, marking the start of another day. This day’s breakfast meeting was uneventful. Sakura, being the authority figure, always organized headcounts, just in case someone was murdered. After that, I proceeded to go to the frozen lake, but not before going through the warehouse to grab a saw, a fishing pole, and some bait. On my way to the warehouse, however, I heard bushes rustle. It wasn’t particularly windy that day, so I decided to investigate. When I came close to the Lichtenbergs, however, I noticed someone hiding on the bushes. It was obviously Mitsuhito, however, since that paranoiac is always spying on the twins, because he thinks they’re Communists or something. Due to that small distraction, however, Fumimaro noticed me, and we decided to have a small chat.

“So, how is your life here at this camp so far?” I asked.

“Pretty fine. The threat of death does not bother me that much. Plus, this camp is adequate for me. How’s yours?” he replied.

“I must say, this camp is not so bad. I mean, aside from the fact that we are supposed to kill each other, this is a nice break from the usual stressful life at the Academy. This gives me ideas for a new novel, you know? Making one that just seems like stroking the Academy’s ego is not my taste.” I said, as we walked towards a fallen pine log.

“Nice weather, isn’t it?” he said, while looking up and watching the clouds.

“Yeah. How about we sit down for a while?” I said, looking at the log.

As we sat down, our discussion continued.

“Nozomu, I may remember you back at middle school. We attended English classes together, right?” he asked.

“Oh yeah, Fumimaro. I remember you. You’re also the person who I once taught Russian in ninth grade.”

“Speaking of the Russian class, do you remember the--” he said, with a naughty look at his face.

“No, we are not talking about the Incident. Forget about it.” I said, knowing what he implies.

“Well, just give me—“

“Forget about it.” I interrupted.

“Just one—“

“Forget about it.

“Okay.” he said.

“Anyways, I’ll go now. I’ll go to a fishing trip at the frozen lake.” I said.

“Oh. That’s why you were carrying all those gear. Okay, see you!” he replied, before walking away.

Now that there is no distractions, I can now go back to my fishing trip. After spending my time breathing the fresh Siberian air while fishing at the lake, occasionally writing my thoughts down, I looked at my watch. It was about to be 4:00 PM soon, so I rushed back to avoid missing the dinner meetings. As I picked up the rations at the counter and sat down, Kirigaya spat out his food, with a look of disgust at his face.

“Erika, are you trying to kill us or what? This food is way too bitter for my tastes.” he complained, while giving her a dirty stare.

“What? This meal tastes absolutely fine. Perhaps your tongue hasn’t adapted to the shoddy rations we are given?” she remarked.

“Whatever. When I suddenly drop dead in my cabin or at the bathrooms or anywhere at all, you will be my suspect.” he replied.

“So... any suspicious activity going on?” Koizumi asked, with his eagerness to start a discussion showing on his face.

“The Lichtenbergs. They are suspicious as hell. Like seriously, they are definitely plotting something, perhaps a plot to overthrow the government and replace it with a Commu—“

“Any DEFINITE suspicions, anyone?” Koizumi interrupted.

“Akira has been going to the infirmary very frequently lately,” Gregory said.

“What is so suspect about that? I was taking care of Junpei, since I am the most medically able person here.” she replied.

“We’ll check at Junpei, just in case.” Sakura and Ayumi said in unison, before leaving the hall.

“Any more suspect activity?” Koizumi asked.

“I saw Nozomu grab a saw and go to the direction of the infirmary.” Megumi said.

“Yes, I did grab a saw, but you forgot the fishing pole and the box of bait. I was going fishing, and it just so happens that the path to the lake was the same path to the infirmary.” I replied.

“But the lake was frozen. How can you fish in that?” she asked, challenging my claim.

“That’s why I grabbed a saw; to cut a hole at the ice so I can fish.” I replied.

I have to admit, Megumi challenging me was out of the blue, as if she was up to something. Sakura and AYuumi returned after a few minutes.

“Junpei is fine. Nothing to worry about.” Sakura said.

“I still doubt Nozomu’s clam. Last time I checked, there was a scar at Junpei’s stomach, made with a serrated blade, like a saw, which I saw him carrying this day while going to the direction of the infirmary. Coincidence? I think not.” Megumi said.

“...or a steak knife, which he used to disembowel himself last night. Seriously Megumi? I saw you at the hall last night, so I thought you will remember that Junpei tried to kill himself, and that’s why he is in the infirmary in the first place! Maybe, she was smoking those peculiar mushrooms I saw at the lake.” I angrily rebutted.

“Megumi, now is not the time for falsely accusing people of crimes they did not commit. Save that for the inevitable debates on who the murderer was.” Makoto said. After that, she went silent for the rest of the dinner.

When dinner ended, suddenly Fumimaro came rushing towards me, as I was making my way to my cabin. He gave me an envelope, with a seal containing the Academy’s logo. On the back was a message, saying: “Do not open until someone successfully escapes.” He said that he suddenly found it taped at his cabin door, and that I should keep it safe, and since I have a lockable desk, I put the envelope inside, locked the drawer, and then hid the keys on the pen holder. After that, I slept.


	4. Chapter 1-A Philosopher's Night Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day three of the Camp. Someone is going to be killed.

 

Another day at this test of sanity of a camp. I’ll never get used to the painful beeps of the alarm clocks. But this day was a special day for this camp. First of all, another announcement came.

“Due to complaints about our rations tasting bad, from now on, students will be in charge at cooking their own meals starting from this day’s lunch time. Thank you.”

The mess hall was surprisingly full early on, probably because they want to hear the cooking assignments that will be passed on them. Rantaro stood up, and stated the assignments for the meals.

“First of all, the obvious. Erika and Akira will not be given any cooking assignments. I hope the reasons why is obvious to you. To the assignments: Ayumi, Sakura, and Kirigaya will be the first batch, followed by Nozomu, Fumimaro and Gregory. The third batch will be Stephanie, Mitsuhito, and Megumi, then the fourth will be Nanami, Makoto, and Hideki. The last batch will be everyone else: Erin, Nagisa, Miaya, Maria, and I. I hope that is clear.” he announced, with the rest saying “Yes” in unison.

After the assignments, I decided to go to the frozen lake, like I always do. This time, however, I brought Fumimaro and Gregory with me. We decided to make a fish dish for the dinner, so we caught some at the lake. We also picked up some mushrooms on our way as well. The handbook helped us which ones are safe, and which ones are poisonous/hallucinogenic. We also decided to have our own meals while at the lakeside. While we are fishing, I decided to have a chat with Gregory.

“Hi Gregory. How is your camp experience so far?” I asked.

“Well, aside from the threat of murder, this is fine. Besides, I deal with death threats all the time. Our nature means that people will hate us.” he replied.

“Care elaborating at some of your exploits?” I said, as I cast the fishing line at the lake.

“Well, most of our experiences are all about the Aveleighn mob.” he said, while he was preparing a fire.

“The Aveleighn mob? Who are they?” I asked.

“They are the largest crime syndicate at East Germany. Their primary trade is smuggling. Whether it be drugs, guns, or people, they’ll smuggle across the border. They also have numerous friends in the high places, and there may be rumors that the heir of the mob may enter the Academy soon. When you’re dealing with organizations that big, you’ll have a pretty leaded head, metaphorically, and hopefully not literally.” he replied.

“Wow. That is impressive. So, why are you guys here?” I wondered.

“After revealing that a high official has ties to the mob, we decided to leave the country. The forger that helped us recommended Japan, and she made sure we’ll get there. We arrived here three years ago, and using our credentials, we entered middle school, and that is the reason why I ended up in the Academy.” he explained.

“Wait, who is this forger you speak of? I’m just curious.” I asked.

“Her name is Megumi. That is the only name she gave us. Now, she may be Saionji, but you’ll never know, since that name is a pretty common one in Japan.” he replied.

“Well, how is adapting to this country?” I asked again.

“Surprisingly easy, in fact. It helps that we are half-Japanese and our father taught us the language, so adapting is much easier.” he replied.

After that, we returned to the base camp. I went to the mess hall to put our ingredients at the pantry, but I noticed that the assigned cooks were asleep. Ehh, they were probably just slacking off, or they’re done with their tasks. I put the ingredients, then walked off. Yet, there is a mysterious smell in the kitchen with an unidentified source...

Dinner came, and we served our assigned meals to everyone. Suddenly, I noticed that Erika is looking pretty gloomy. I asked her about what is making him feel that way, and she replied that she is very much worried about Junpei’s situation. Makes sense; he is supposed to be in good condition today, buy why hasn’t he participated in this dinner? By the way, she always brings food to Junpei after we are done eating.

After we finished our meals, she took Junpei’s meal and went to the infirmary. I was about to enter my cabin, when a loud scream was heard. The sound was coming from the infirmary, so I rushed to it immediately. When I went there, Erika was frozen in place, with a look of dread at her face. Hideki and Sakura were also already there, frozen in shock. The meal that was supposed to be for Junpei was on the floor, making a mess of the place. I went inside, and saw the horrifying truth.

Junpei Hanamura, the Class 50 Philosopher, was murdered.

The state of the body was brutal, to say the least. The throat was slashed horribly, as if someone tried to behead him. A pool of blood stained the bed and the nearby floor, and a knife was buried in his chest. Yet, despite this grisly murder, he died with a resting expression in his face. I checked the body, and it was cold and stiff. This wasn’t a recent murder. More people rushed in to the infirmary, until everyone was inside. Suddenly, an announcement played out at the speaker at the lobby:

“Attention everyone! We have our first murder. Please, meet me at the assembly hall. I have some important announcements to make.”

 We followed the Manager’s orders. After all, he started this game. Surely, he’ll be able to provide more information on how this game works. When we all met at the assembly hall, he started talking.

“Okay. Let me tell you just how we handle murders at Camp Cherabela. By the way, yes, that is the official name of this camp. Anyways, basically, I’ll give you all a few hours to investigate. Gather as much clues as possible that will lead you to the culprit. After those hours had passed, we will hold a trial. There, using the clues you have gathered, you try and debate about who killed the victim of the day. After you guys are done debating, you may pass your verdicts. The person who gets a majority of ‘Guilty’ votes wins. Of course, since I organized this game, I already know who I should kill. If you fail to find the real murderer, you will all die, and the killer escapes scot-free. Find the murderer, however, and they will be punished, and you all will live another day. Remember: I am watching every single moment of your lives. Those cameras aren’t just for show. Bye!

Oh wait, I forgot about this. Inside that black folder is the autopsy report of the victim. By the way, you may notice that some parts are blacked out. Figure them out yourself. Again, bye, and good luck!”


	5. Chapter 1-Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The students of Class 50 investigate the murder of Junpei Hanamura.

I decided to take a look at the file. As far as autopsy reports go, it was comprehensive. There are, of course, some blacked out parts, namely, the time of death. The rest, I will give a short summary.

* * *

 

Junpei Hanamura/15/67 kg/5’7”/AB/Philosopher

Cause of death: Blood loss

Time of death: unknown

Time of discovery: 6:30

Other injuries: punctured heart, presence of an unknown chemical

* * *

 

I gave the file back to Maria, then went back to the kitchen. Gregory and Fumimaro are also there, doing their own investigations. Gregory said to me, “Remember the lost knife? One of the knives were missing when we were making the dishes at the kitchen.”

I may have forgot that piece of info. I have to admit, I did not do any cooking at all. I just sat at the counter, reading. Anyways, I actually can deduce the time of death at this point. It has to occur somewhere around noon, since the knife was already missing when we entered the kitchen. Furthermore, the cold feeling of the body, as well as the stiffness, implies that it was not a fresh murder. Also, the faint smell from the kitchen was gone when I entered it again. With that in mind, I went to the infirmary.

At the infirmary, I saw Stephanie, Ayumi and Sakura, guarding the crime scene. Ayumi said to me that some drugs at the medicine cupboard were missing, while Stephanie said that she saw Akira, Erika, and Miaya enter the infirmary at around 11:00 AM. I decided to look at the corpse once again. I smelled the same smell at the kitchen, but it was much stronger. It was also making me a bit dizzy, so I left. I grabbed a note at the receptionist’s table. The note was an inventory for the medicine cupboard. The missing drugs may serve as a clue later on, so I wrote them down. Now I have to see these three people.

While I was looking for Erika, Mitsuhito saw me. He gave me a note he found at the trash room. The note was a formula for making a certain chemical. I understood nothing at the note, and the fact that the writing was atrocious didn’t help. As I continued my search for Erika, suddenly, I collapsed in front of Akira’s cabin. The smell was the last thing I can remember before I fell, and it was still the same smell in the kitchen and the infirmary. Maybe there is a pattern here...

I woke up at the infirmary, and looked at my watch. I was unconscious for 30 minutes. The three are still there, guarding the body. However, at my side of the building, I saw Akira, checking the nearby closet for a short while, before leaving. I noticed something weird inside, namely, a lab gown, stained with blood, a gas mask, and some bloody gloves. I checked my coat to make sure my notebook is still there, and it was. Before l left, I noticed that the closet was very dusty, and I can see a couple of handprints at the door, implying that someone hid inside.  I then wrote the things I saw, wiped the dust off my coat, walked to the exit, and looked for Makoto. I need to confirm something.

Sure enough, I found him at the warehouse. I gave him Mitsuhito’s note, plus the inventory for the cupboard. He said, “Well, this chemical is a pretty potent anesthetic. Once a certain amount of this stuff is inhaled, about 500g, it makes the victim unconscious. However, this chemical requires a specific environment for its synthesis, ideally a sterilized container under very high temperatures, like an incinerator. It’s called Sedapil, due to its sedative properties. I hope that clears things up. Now, where is the tungsten container...?”

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“I saw a container made out of pure tungsten in here. It can hold five liters, and I need it for an experiment. However, it went missing, and I have no idea where it went. I also searched the gas masks section of the warehouse, and one was missing as well.” he replied.

“Okay. Thanks for the help, by the way.” I said, before leaving the warehouse.

Now, he mentioned an incinerator, so I checked the trash room again. Sure enough, it was unlocked. The locked cabinet was torn apart with some sort of explosive, and the keys were missing. I checked inside, and smelled the same smell of medicine. This is where the drug was synthesized. I also saw some molten orange plastic inside. Due to this, however, I now have my suspicions. Why would Makoto know all of this stuff, and why is he looking for the canister in the first place? I started writing down all clues in my notebook. I also checked the nearby dumpsters for clues, but they contained only random garbage. Suddenly, a bell rang across the camp. After the bell, another announcement was made.

“Please proceed to the crash site. The trial for Junpei Hanamura’s death has begun.”

This is the moment of truth. The first trial of life and death is about to start. Will we emerge victorious, or face a grisly demise? Let’s do this.


	6. Chapter 1-The Trial for Junpei Hanamura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junpei Hanamura, the Class 50 Philosopher, was killed. Will the clues gathered be enough to find who did it?

As I went to the crash site, I saw the seats were prepared for us already. Twenty podiums were arranged at a circle, near the smoldering ruins of the plane. Junpei’s seat was marked with a memorial picture for him, arranged to match his height. The seats were also marked. I sat in front of Megumi, who is looking at me face-to-face. When everyone has arrived, the Camp Manager sat at a throne outside the circle. The trial is about to begin.

“All right, now that you are all here, your goal is to discuss about the murder and debate about certain clues you have found during your investigation. Your primary goal is solving the mystery of who did the act. Choose right, and they will be rightly punished. Choose wrong, however, and you will all die, and they will escape this facility. Is that clear?” he announced, before pounding a gavel, signaling the start of a trial.

“So, let us get our facts right. Junpei Hanamura was found dead approximately 6:30 PM, according to the file. Yet, the time of death is still missing. Also, we know that Junpei died due to the obvious injuries, yet somehow, the substances present space was blacked out. I think we should start discussing about the time of death first.” Hideki started, as usual.

“Right. Based on my observations, it was not a fresh murder. The act was done hours before discovery.”

“Hold on, don’t forget the murder weapon used. It was a knife. Where do you think it came from? Maybe we should talk about that first.” Megumi recommended.

“It was the kitchen, obviously. I noticed that one knife was missing while we are doing an investigation of the kitchen.” Gregory answered.

“Okay, that was a quick. So... the murderer was someone who could have access to the knife, right? Which means that we already narrowed it down to just 6 potential culprits: Group 1, which consists of Ayumi, Sakura, and Kirigaya, and Group 2, which consists of Nozomu, Gregory, and Fumimaro.”  Rantaro said.

“Now, this is where the time of death becomes relevant. Was the murder done at the noon shift, or the afternoon shift? Knowing that narrows it down to just three.” Stephanie said to everyone.

“Well, I think it happened at the noon shift. Gregory told me that the knife was already missing when we got there, which means that it must have occurred at noon. Besides, I noticed that the body was very stiff, which means that approximately six hours had passed.”

“Wait, how do you know that?” Mitsuhito asked in disbelief.

“Well, I know how dead bodies work, since I did research on them before I write my novels.”

“Okay, so it happened at the noon shift, which started from 12:30. Let’s put the time of death there. Ayumi, Sakura, and Kirigaya, where were you at 12:30?” Fumimaro asked.

“Well, we went to the kitchen earlier, like, around 11:00, since our dish was pretty labor-intensive.  We started working on the dish, when suddenly, we heard glass break. After that, well, we had no idea.” Kirigaya answered.

“Yeah. It seemed that someone piped in knockout gas or something, since we passed out approximately 12:00. That was my last glimpse of the watch before I fell.” Sakura added.

“Wait, hold on. Gas, you said?”

“Hmm, yes. I am confident that a canister of gas was used to knock us all out.” Ayumi replied.

“Oh, so that’s what caused the weird smell I smelled at the kitchen. I went there early, since I decided to stock the pantry with fish and mushrooms. I also saw you guys fast asleep.”

“Umm, how did you get in the kitchen at the first place? Isn’t that supposed to be locked until the next shift?” Mitsuhito asked.

“They left the door open. I was just getting some more bait, but on my way, I saw the open kitchen door, and I decided to stock the pantry just because.”

“So... neither of them are responsible for the murders, is that what you say?” Akira said, looking a bit worried.

“It seems so. However, I have my suspicions. You know what, I’ll say my suspect. It’s Makoto Shiroyama!”

Suddenly, silence. Everyone was shocked when I accused him. He’s an unlikely culprit for the case, since Makoto was assigned for tomorrow. But I have my reasoning behind these accusations.

“Hey! What the hell gave you that idea? That seemed like a huge leap of logic! Are we at the accusation stage already?” he shouted.

“I have my reasoning. Does anyone of you know of Sedapil?”

“Sedapil, huh. You mean the drug that becomes a potent anesthetic in a set amount? I told you that earlier.” he nonchalantly replied.

“Okay, Makoto. One question, why do you know the formula for that drug?”

“Are you out of your mind? I am the Class 50 Chemist, of course I know that drug!” he defended.

“By the way, Makoto, I found the canister. It was at the incinerator. You mentioned that the drug must be synthesized at a high-temperature environment, like an incinerator. First of all, why did you use an incinerator as an example, and secondly, why would you need the canister in the first place?”

“I was testing if the experiment will work. I was about to synthesize Sedapil for myself, since I have a hunch. I also smelled the weird smell at the kitchen, and had a hunch about it. Also, as to why the incinerator was used, the temperatures for synthesis range from 320-700 degrees Celsius, the same temperature the incinerator given burns at. Also, I overheard your conversation with Stephanie, and she said that Erika, Akira, and Miaya entered the infirmary. What basically happened is that Akira went inside, stole the drugs and the objects, synthesized it, and used it to murder people!” he explained.

“Okay, Makoto, nice defense. However, there’s still one detail that bugs me. I can’t seem to wrap my mind around it, but something feels off.” I said, while trying to think of something. I felt like I am still missing some vital clue... oh. I then asked, “Ah! Okay, who do you think wrote this note then? Mitsuhito found it in the dumpster, and Makoto said it was a formula for the sleeping drug. The writing is absolutely atrocious, but... Makoto, how did you understand anything written on it? It is absolutely illegible.”

“Yeah, and that’s usually not Makoto’s handwriting. Sure, it’s pretty bad, but not that bad. I can’t think of anyone else with penmanship that bad, though. The only possible reason I can think of is someone trying to write with a broken hand... wait.” Akira said, before having a sudden epiphany. “Makoto wrote it. He wrote that barely legible text. And if that’s the formula for the sleeping drug, that means that he probably did it!”

“Oh yeah. He’s left-handed, remember? And remember Junpei’s little stunt at the first night? Yeah, the fork buried pretty deep in his hand.” Erin said.

“Yeah, I know. My hand still hurts like hell. I can’t even write anything at this point, and now you are accusing me? Are you kidding me?” he violently replied.

“Well, there’s one thing I like to clarify. The murder happened at noon, right?”  Hideki asked.

“Yes, yes it probably is.”

“However, the drug may have been synthesized earlier than that. After all, we can’t truly tell when the drug was synthesized, right?” he asked again.

“Again, the answer to that is yes. Plus, Makoto, your highly defensive stance isn’t helping much. I think he probably did it, and tried to sway the attention to Akira. But, there is one hole at your plan. Makoto, answer honestly. What were you doing during noontime? What’s your alibi?”

“I... can’t remember, honestly. When I’m on my way to the infirmary, I... suddenly passed out. I woke up at the warehouse 30 minutes later. It was probably 11 AM when I lost consciousness. But if you keep accusing me of being the murderer, because I wanted to synthesize that drug, then fine! I did it. I made the drug.” he replied.

Suddenly, silence. No one dared speak, nor say a single word.

“What are you looking at? I admitted it! I synthesized the drug. I have my own intentions in doing so. You see, I went to the infirmary yesterday to treat my broken hand. I’m still very mad at Junpei for doing so, and I planned my revenge. My plan is to steal a couple of drugs, make some poison or whatever, and release it at the infirmary. Unfortunately, I made a sedative, but no problem! Plan B: Take the knife from the kitchen and stab Junpei in the heart. When I heard the assignments, I put the correct amount of the drug in a vial, no, two, just in case I cock it up. It was enough to knock out three people. I threw the drug inside, since they are stupid enough to leave the door open. Then, when they are all asleep, I stole the knife, and went to the infirmary. I heard people coming inside, however, so I hid myself in a bed at the far side of the room. When I am confident that there’s no one inside, I rose up. You know the rest of the story.” he explained.

“You went inside, slit Junpei’s throat, and stabbed him in the heart, am I right?”

“No, dummy!  Just as I was about to make my move, I noticed one of the vials went missing. You see, I prepared a spare one, in case the first one didn’t work. And just as I was about to make my move, crash! I heard glass break inside. Then, I passed out. I managed to lay on another bed near Junpei, just to blend in, before passing out. I woke up at the warehouse thirty minutes later, my knife missing. A couple of minutes passed, and you came. You started asking about the drug, because somehow, you found the formula for making it. And yes, I wrote the note. And by the way, the blast you heard when we were investigating the warehouse? That’s the sound of the cabinet lock being blown apart. So, I admit what I did. I planned to murder Junpei. But, I did not succeed. Make of that as you will.” he elaborated further.

“So, who could that be...?” I thought for a moment. I paused to think, checking all the clues I’ve gathered. Hmm, there’s still a few I haven’t used yet, like the closet and the testimony, but...

“I remember a woman with a gas mask carrying an unconscious man, wearing a bloody lab gown and rubber gloves, leave the infirmary. She is most definitely the murderer; if we can deduce her identity, we have this in the bag.” Gregory shouted.

“Well, you didn’t hide at the closet, right? So, someone else did. Erika, Akira, and Miaya entered the infirmary according to Stephanie, so one of them hid inside and finished off the job.”

“Well, we left without Akira. In fact, she suddenly went missing, and we left to look for her. Turns out, she was at the crash site, picking mushrooms.” Erika replied.

“At what time did you finally find her?”

“Around 1:00.”

“So, I have a theory. Akira probably hid in the closet. The handprints in the closet were proof of that. Can you confirm?”

“Umm, yes. I hid in the closet. So what?” she replied.

“Well, why would you hide at the closet? That seems pretty suspicious. Perhaps you know something we don’t? Maybe, you are the murderer!”

“What makes you think that? I did not murder Junpei! And let’s not forget, Makoto planned all this. I mean, why would you just leave behind a couple of vials and a gas mask at the closet, huh?”

“Wait, I never said I hid them in the closet. I never said I hid them there! That means she did hide inside the closet, found the vial and the mask, and finished the job. What a slip it was.” Makoto remarked, giving her a guilty stare.

“No! You cannot prove that!” she shouted.

“Yes, we just did. Confess your guilt.” I replied.

“No! I am innocent in all of this!”

“Your guilt is as clear as day.”

“Makoto must be punished for what he did!”

“Yeah, he did try to murder someone, but keyword on try. You, Akira Yamaguchi, Class 50 Surgeon, murdered Junpei Hanamura!” I announced, shocking everyone. I then continued,

“If you don’t get it, let me explain it all to you: So, Makoto did plan the entire thing. He gathered the drugs at the infirmary when he went there to have his left hand fixed. Then, he grabbed the canister, a gas mask, and some fireworks, and used the explosives to blow up the lock off the cabinet that contained the lock to the incinerator. He then used it to make some knockout gas, and prepared a spare just in case. Unfortunately, Akira probably saw this, and acted immediately. Makoto made his move into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and then went to the infirmary. Akira and her friends came in, and he hid on the bed, storing his spare vial on the closet. She then proceeded to go there, and knew Makoto was hiding there, and so she hid on the closet. When he made his move, she acted as well, putting on the gas mask and throwing the vial into the infirmary. He had enough consciousness to go inside a bed, and then, Akira grabbed his knife, and stabbed the wrong guy. She killed Junpei.”


	7. Conclusion to Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira Yamaguchi was proven to be the murderer. Let's see what the Manager has in store for her.

Suddenly, silence. No one dared to talk, no one said a single word. Amidst all this, the Camp Manager said:

“Okay, it seems that the debate phase is over. Cast your votes now!”

“No, please, you don’t understand! I didn’t try to murder Junpei!” she begged, her face drenched with tears.

I noticed a huge tally counter beside the chair the Manager is sitting on. Below it says, “9 votes to prove the murderer’s guilt.” I pressed the guilty button, and the counter ticked once.

“I tried to stop Makoto’s fiendish plan, once and for all! I tried to save Junpei! I knew the plan from the very beginning, and moved to prevent it!”

_Tick..._

“Please, I beg you, spare me! At the heat of the moment, I can’t tell the two beds apart! So I picked one, and...”

_Tick, Tick..._

“I admit it! I accidentally murdered Junpei! I am sorry for that!”

_Tick, Tick, Tick..._

“I am sorry! I am terribly sorry!” she repeated over, and over, and over, again.

_Tick..._

“I am very sorry!”

_Tock._

“The final vote has been cast! The verdict is... Guilty! You all chose correctly. Akira Yamaguchi was found guilty of the murder of Junpei Hanamura! For that, I prepared a special punishment for you. Let’s give it everything we’ve got! It’s punishment time!”

Suddenly, a long chain came from the woods, and grasped Akira by the neck. She was then dragged away into some sort of stretcher. A couple of people in surgical scrubs rushed Akira into some sort of hospital. Then, a man looking like the Camp Manager came near the bed, carrying a trolley filled with various surgical tools. All of them seemed to be rusty. He pulled out a piece of cloth, and used it to gag her. He then started carving away, digging through her body. Her internal organs were being yanked out with his bare hands, with Akira’s muffled screams haunting the woods. She finally died when her heart was pulled out of her chest, with the man showing it to her. True horror was evident at her face. At that day, Akira Yamaguchi was executed.

Everyone looked at the brutalized corpse, then to each other. Our faces were pale with shock, our eyes still trying to comprehend the brutality we just witnessed. Our lives will never be the same again. This is Camp Cherabela. This is our reality now.

Akira Yamaguchi. Such a horror indeed. As I went near my cabin, it felt like it’s the first day all over again. However, I must start getting used to this. This is our reality now.

Everyone else went to their cabins with a sense of dread. The haunting pleas of Akira, and her brutal execution, were fresh in my memory. You can almost feel the pain in every scream, the despair in her words as she desperately tries to get a plea for mercy over a very fatal mistake. I laid down on my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. I closed my eyes, yet never felt rested for the day.


	8. Chapter 2-The Valley of Knowledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eighteen out of the twenty-two remain. A new area was unlocked, and they're eager to explore it. Let's see what mysteries and dangers await them.

I woke up. There is not a single ounce of anticipation in me for this day. Before I leave the room, I sat down at my desk and set my notebook on it. I started writing down the events of the past few days in it. I never left the room until I have finished writing the events up to this day. Suddenly, I heard a hard knock on the door. I rose from my seat, and answered the door. It was Fumimaro, bringing me a meal. It was a bagel sandwich and an orange juice box. I thanked him for his compassion, before closing the door. I then continued writing.

A couple of hours and torn pages later, I was done. I looked at my watch, and it was already 3:00 PM. I went outside and asked Fumimaro, which was walking in my general direction with Gregory and Makoto. I joined their group.

“So... did I miss anything?” I asked.

“Yes. Sakura ordered a new search of the camp. She noticed the opened gate on the cliff near the frozen lake, and ordered us to explore that area. The others are already there; we just came to pick you up.” he said.

“What did you guys find so far?”

“A rope bridge that connects the two areas separated by a pretty wide chasm. However, the other side was gated off. There is a staircase, though, and it goes down into the cliff side. We saw a couple of cabins inside, but we never really checked them.”

“Cool. Let’s inspect them.”

And so I went with Fumimaro’s group. I crossed the pretty unstable rope bridge into a section of the other side of the cliff. We then descended the flight of stairs into the deep, and saw some buildings inside. We started checking them for clues.

From the stairs, I saw a small cabin at the left. I entered, and saw what seemed like a library. There are various books inside, although they are all in Russian, and while yes, I can read the contents of these tomes, I didn’t waste my time checking these books. One thing grabbed my attention, though. There is a Japanese newspaper, dated at June 5, 1977. The headline read: “Student found mutilated in Hope’s Peak Academy!” Out of curiosity, I read the paper. I turned it to page 2, and read the associated article. It said that Junko Himura, the Class 40 Journalist, was found dead inside the Third Floor Bathroom. The body was discovered by a fellow student named Minamara Enoshima, who reported the sight to the faculty. Investigations are still pending. I decided to keep the newspaper, since this is very important. I left the library, and started searching once more.

After leaving the library, I then went to another building, but this time, it was made of glass. It must be the greenhouse. I went inside, and saw Erika and Makoto in there. They seemed to be interested on a peculiar flower. It has scarlet petals, and a black circle at the middle. I have never seen this flower before in my life, which sparked my curiosity. Erika in particular showed great interest on it, yet there is a sense of dread still in her face. I asked her about the flower, and she told me to wait for the dinner meeting; she’ll tell everyone about it. I checked the rest of the greenhouse, and there were a variety of flowers inside, plus a special machine. In the middle of the compound, there was a huge oak tree. I asked Makoto what that device was, and he told me it was for climate control. That’s why it was a bit tropical inside. I decided to leave the greenhouse, but not before grabbing my coat.

Near the greenhouse, there is a souvenir store of sorts. Various items were hung at the wall, like keychains, necklaces, hats, and animal pelts. My attention was drawn to the magazine rack near the counter, however. The same newspaper on the library was also on the stand. There’s also magazines about various stuff, like fashion, sports, and games, however, the old and beaten newspaper gathered my attention first. It was dated differently, however: it was at June 15, 10 days after the previous newspaper. The headline read, “Student murderer prosecuted!.” I read it carefully, and it said that the person who discovered the body was actually the murderer. I grabbed this newspaper as well, tucked it in my coat, and walked off. That was the last building at the ravine, and so I went up the stairs.

Dinner time came in, and Erika starts the conversation. She seemed very thrilled about her discovery. “Guys, you won’t believe what I saw at the greenhouse. It was the highly endangered Lucresia Lily.”

“Well, guessing by your enthusiasm on this discovery, I think it will be an ingredient in a poison of sorts.” Makoto replied.

“Yes, yes it is. In fact, that’s why it became highly rare: royals ordered these flowers destroyed, to avoid giving potential assassins ideas. This is used in making a very potent poison. There is no safe dose, and depending on the amount, it will take effect from 1-2 days to just under a minute. I asked Hideki to employ sufficient measures to avoid it being used with malicious intent.”

“Yes, she is correct. That’s why we'll assign three people to watch over the flower. The groupings are the same as the kitchen assignments, but in reverse order. Each group will watch over the flower from the end of the current meal time to the beginning of the next. The guard will be effective starting tomorrow.” he announced.

“Wait, why can’t we just destroy it? Also, thanks Erika, you just gave potential assassins ideas. And can we be sure that she won’t take advantage of this?” Makoto asked, with the usual amount of snark in his dialog.

“Well, Makoto, this is the only specimen of the flower ever. Plus, people like you probably know this already, and people who don’t will still be curious, and people will doubt me no matter what, so this is basically to even the playing field, Makoto. Also, if the flower went missing, inform me, Miaya, or Hideki. Besides, no one knows how to get the poison out anyways, so this will be safe.” she replied.

“Anyways, any more interesting things you find while exploring the ravine?” Hideki asked.

“These two newspapers.” I said, before pulling out the two papers into the table. “They refer to some murder case that happened in the Academy in 1977.  The victim was a woman called Junko Himura, and the murderer was said to be someone under the name of Minamara Enoshima, who also saw the body. I think this is important, because—“

“Ehh, who cares? It’s not like we can make some sort of raft out of these newspapers. Any actual leads, like methods of escape, or a way to murder the mastermind?” Makoto rudely interrupted.

“Don’t you remember the rules? Trying to escape by any other means will net a punishment. Remember Sadako? Yeah, as long as that bracelet wraps tightly in your arm, you are stuck here, unless you murder someone. And I know you tried to kill Junpei, so let’s keep an extra close eye on him. In fact, on the guard assignments, he is to be replaced by Rantaro.” Hideki said.

“Fine, whatever. See ya, losers.” he said, before leaving the hall early.

“Now that troublesome prick is out, any more interesting things you want to discuss?” Hideki asked.

“What’s the deal with Yuu? She hasn’t told anyone her talent since the first day.” Mitsuhito asked.

“Yeah, what’s the deal with her? She’s very quiet and shy. Maybe she is hiding something very important from us.” he replied.

Yuu just sat there, eating her meal. She never talked to anyone at all. Maybe she felt left out since she doesn’t have that much friends? Regardless, I’ll try to be close to Yuu.


	9. Chapter 2-Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The survivors face a very serious problem. The lack of unity doesn't help matters at all.

The sound of the atrocious alarm never fails to irritate me into waking up. I could grab a hammer and smash it into bits, but then I’d be blown to bits instead. Regardless, I went to the mess hall, for lack of a better thing to do.

The breakfast meeting is something of great note. I am starting to see some huge cracks on the leadership. It started after Hideki decided to do the headcounts this time. Sakura commented on this, which may have sent him off the edge.

“When did we decide that he does the headcounts?” she asked.

“Well, when did WE decide that YOU do the headcounts?” he replied, looking pretty angry.

“Of course I’ll do the headcounts, I am the authority figure here!”

“What, because you are related to some sort of samurai clan? You think you can lord over us because of your fancy titles and old money?”

“At least I can back up my words, unlike you!”

“So what? At least I am still socially relevant.”

“STOP!” Miaya shouted loudly, sending the room to silence. “Look at you two, fighting over who gets to be the leader. Well guess what! This is precisely what the Camp Manager wants. We need unity! We need to be together! Else, someone’s probably going to end up like Junpei, or worse, Akira.”

Then, the hall doors opened, and in came Rantaro.

“Well, what just happened here? Sorry I was late, we have a problem.”

“Well, Rantaro, these two were arguing over who does the headcounts over here.” Miaya said.

“Doesn’t matter. Anyways, we have a huge problem. Follow me.”

And so we left the mess hall prematurely. Rantaro went to the valley side, and into the greenhouse. As usual, I took my coat off, since the climate inside will kill me if I still have it on. He then went to an area with a couple of cut stalks. This is also where the flowers were planted.

“See these? These were the Lucresia lilies. Someone stole them. Erika, you know about these flowers, right? Tell us what you know about the poison in them.”

“Well, the poison is tasteless and odorless. The time it takes to effect is dependent on the dose, ranging from 1-2 days to just under a minute. Once it is absorbed, the patient dies of a heart attack. However, the flowers themselves are completely inert. To get them out, a highly complex process is needed, and the art of getting the poison out is as extinct as the flower itself.”

“So... you mean that there’s nothing to worry about?”

“Yes. In fact, only I know how to get the toxins out of this thing. Let me just check... wait a second... My notebook!” she said, before rushing out of the greenhouse.

Rantaro advised us to remain inside and wait for Erika. While inside, he told us to present our notebooks to him, in case one of us stole it. I went to the coat rack, grabbed my notebook out of the breast pocket, and presented it to him. Others followed suit. He checked them, one by one, before returning us the notebooks. I then put mine back at my coat. Then, Erika came inside, with a worried look in her face.

“My notebook is missing! That notebook contained the method of acquiring the toxin, Rantaro! Whoever has it must also have the flowers, and they’ll promptly make their move now! This is bad...”

“Well, this turned out to be a bigger problem than expected. Erika, is there an antidote for this?”

“There is good news and bad news, Rantaro. The good news is that there is indeed an antidote for it. The bad news is that they require the flower itself.”

“Well, crud. The only tip I can tell you is watch your food. By the way, the cooking setups had changed. Now, each group can be requested to serve the meals every breakfast and dinner. The only thing is that you cannot request until everyone else is done. Everyone is allowed to request for their groups to serve this dinner phase. The first person to ask for permission gets to serve. Is that a deal?”

Everyone said “Yes” in unison, then went out the greenhouse. I picked up my coat, then went outside, but before everyone left, Erika added, “By the way, the flowers only contain an amount to kill one person almost instantly. Plus, my notebook didn’t contain the appropriate dosages for the poison to work. Stay safe!”


	10. Chapter 2-The Curious Case of Yuu Nanami

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After that stressful morning, the protagonists decided to spend time with Yuu Nanami.

After that stressful greenhouse meeting, I went to talk to Yuu at the crash site. I also saw my friend talking to her. I decided to join in on the conversation.

“So, hey, Yuu. How is life here at the camp?”

“Absolutely horrifying. The threat of murder always lurks around the corner.”

“Oh. Okay then. What is your talent, young lady?”

“None of your business.”

“Why are you keeping it secret?”

“None of your business.”

“Just tell us, okay? We will keep it secret—“

“NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!” she shouted out loud, before running off into her cabin.

“Great, we were having a pretty jovial conversation. You never bring up the topic of talent to her, okay?” my friend said.

“Okay, understood. However, did you get any clues?”

“Well, she mentioned having parents with very high expectations on her, and that causes her stress. Due to that, she took art as a means of escapism. She also mentioned that she is very good at it as well. In fact, she got noticed by the Academy when she ran an auction on a bunch of paintings of Enoshima Island.”

“Judging by your story, her talent is art-related. Got it.”

“In fact, she gave me a copy of the auctioned painting. Here, take a look.”

The painting was really beautiful, almost like it was a photograph. The fact that she painted such minute details on a space as small as a business card is impressive. But, I started having a feeling about this. Something about the painting seems... off.

“Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Can I have the newspapers? I may have a suspicion.”

“Sure.” he said, before pulling out the papers. I grabbed them, then went to my cabin for a while. I read them for a while, then took a short nap.

I woke up at 12:30 PM, then went to the mess hall. I saw Yuu getting some food at the kitchen. I decided to talk to her for a moment.

“Yuu, how’s life?”

“Leave me alone. Please.”

“Well, umm, at least talk about this painting.” I said, before showing the tiny painting to her. We then sat down at one of the tables.

“Is that—“

“Yes. You put this at auction, right? Said auction brought you the attention of the Academy.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Tell me, when did this auction happen, and who got the highest bid on the painting?”

“The auction happened just a year ago, before I entered the Academy. I auctioned the painting ‘Fall at Enoshima’ in some Tokyo art expo. As far as I know, one of the officials of the Academy noticed me. He didn’t win the bid, however.”

“Who got it then?”

“A Russian businessman in the name of Dmitry Vasilevsky. He got the bid for the painting, for 1 million yen.”

“Well, speaking of the painting, what drove you to paint the picture in the first place?”

“It’s for an innocent man, wrongfully charged for a crime he did not commit.”

I took a second look at the painting. Unlike other views of the island, the sky is melancholic, and the trees had already shed their leaves. It also seemed to be raining heavily. I asked her, “Who is he?”

“I’ll tell you, if you answer this question correctly. Do you know the Himura murder case?”

“Yes, why?”

“It refers to a murder case that happened seven years ago. It was all over the news at the time.”

“Is it the murder case on the papers that Nozomu had?”

“Yes. But they never told you the whole story. Minamara was completely innocent. He discovered the body, and reported it to the authorities, but he was still arrested for the murder. He was found guilty of the deed as well, but he was actually completely innocent.”

“Wait, how do you know he is innocent?”

“I have analyzed the case, and found out that the evidence surrounding the case were all fabricated by some entity, perhaps the murderer?”

“What do you mean?”

“A careful analysis of the case reveals it all. Furthermore, I know the real culprit as well.”

“Hold on, what are you talking about? Like, how do you all know this information? You know what, what is your talent anyway?”

“Fine, since I have told so much to you, might as well reveal it. Keep this a secret, however. He must not know.”

“Who is ‘he’?”

“None of your business. Here is my handbook. Take a look at it.” she said, before giving me her handbook. I read the profile part, and read her talent.

“Class 50 Predictor?”

“Normally I’d go for Analyst, but I would have to wait until two years before that becomes available again. Anyways, I knew that Russian guy would win the bid.”

“What does this mean?”

“See, I have a pretty good grasp of the branch of analysis that makes me predict the future. Painting and auctions are my side job. I work as a clairvoyant, and that’s the actual reason I was noticed by the Academy. The auction story was a myth, but the auction itself was real.”

“But doesn’t that mean that you know who will die and who will survive?”

“No. My talent doesn’t tend to work well under extreme conditions, like excitement or stress. For instance, I don’t know this plane will crash here. Anyways, I know you will be destined for great things.”

“Like what?”

“Very great things. Keep this a secret. Tell no one.” she said, before handing out two sealed envelopes. “Don’t open this until you escape.” They were the same envelopes that were given to me by a mysterious person during the second day. I decided to keep them on me, as not to betray her trust. I tucked these two envelopes under my coat, and waited inside. Makoto’s group came in first, then, after an hour later, everyone else arrived. The dinner meeting was started this time with Yuu making headcounts. “Since both Sakura and Hideki are that willing to fight over something like headcounts, I figured that I’ll do it.” Both parties just sat there, eating their meals.

“So, any pressing issues we need to talk about?” Hideki asked.

“The flower issue. That is still a potential threat.” Rantaro replied.

“Hmm, what should we do about it? There’s no antidote, therefore, the murderer can off someone in this dinner table right now!”

“Well, at least Erika seemed innocent, but then again, she may have intentionally misplaced her notes...”

“Hey! I made a vow to myself to only use my knowledge for good. And since those are the last of those lilies in the Earth, I am pretty sure we are all equally screwed. Well, what a nice way to go. See you all!” Erika said.

“By the way, Nozomu and Megumi are both missing. What do you think happened to them?” Sakura asked.

“No idea. I haven’t seen him since we met at the crash site. Check his room, maybe? And bring some food while you’re at it.” I said. No one responded, so I did it myself. Grabbing Makoto’s overcooked pasta meal, I went to his cabin. I knocked at his door, and he opened it. I asked, “What are you doing? You didn’t attend dinner, so I brought you a meal.”

“I am looking for something.”

“What was it?”

“It’s my notebook! My notebook went missing. I have been looking for it since noon. Do you have any idea where it went?”

“Have you checked your bookcase?”

“Where are you—oh, there it is. It wasn’t there when I last checked it, though. Looking for things is tiring, and so I took a short nap. But ehh, I’ll keep it in here. It looks nice, you know. Thanks, by the way. I’ll just take a rest.”

“No problem. See you tomorrow!”

I then went back to the mess hall, only to find it empty. Well, except for one, Yuu. I saw her grab some cinnamon rolls by the pantry. After that, she left. I went back to my cabin, and slept. The next day, however...


	11. Chapter 2-From Bad to Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's just say that the trial won't go well for Mr. Kanagawa.

I was rudely woken up by a couple of hard knocks at the door. Somehow, I missed the alarm, and overslept. I looked at the clock, and it was busted. I then looked at my watch, and the time was 8:30 AM. I then noticed something weird. An urn and a pair of garden shears were at my table. I didn’t think this was important, so I answered the door, and Fumimaro was standing there. When he saw me, he let out a sigh of relief. “I thought you died.”

“What? Why do you think so?”

“The flower. We still don’t know who stole it. We made the morning headcounts and you and Yuu were missing. Thank God you are still alive.”

“The same cannot be held true for Yuu, though. Come with me.” Makoto called us both in front of Yuu’s cabin. “It’s locked, but no one was answering. This is bad news.”

Nagisa struggled to open the door. He only managed to pry the knob off. “Shall we call him over?” he asked. “Yes, we should probably bring him over. Hey, Mr. Manager! We need your help!” Rantaro called.

Almost instantaneously, the Camp Manager appeared. “What do you guys need? Also, why the crowd?”

“Can you open Yuu’s door? We need to check something.”

“Sure!” He then grabbed a keyring from his coat, clearly labeled “Cabins” and stuck it on the keyhole. He twisted it, click, and then the door opened. We aren’t prepared for the next thing we saw.

I saw Yuu, sprawled on the desk, with a cinnamon roll on her left hand. A small bite was on the pastry, with her right hand clutching her chest. Her pale complexion got even paler, and said pastry can’t be removed from her hand, due to rigor mortis. “She’s the victim of the poison. Right, so where do we start?” Makoto announced to everyone.

Everyone had no idea what to do next. Luckily, the Manager managed to snap them out of it. “Hello! You are supposed to be investigating! A murder just happened! Here is the file, now bugger off!” he said, before handing Megumi the file. I asked her to give the file to me, and I started taking notes on my notebook. Here is the summary:

* * *

Yuu Nanami/16/61 kg/5’9”/O/???

Cause of death: Chemically induced heart attack

Time of death: 10:00 PM

Time of discovery: 8:00 AM

Other injuries: presence of cantanelline

* * *

 

“Cantanelline? What is that?” I asked Erika.

“Well, that is the active ingredient of the poison. So far, we have three mysteries to solve: who stole the flowers, who stole my notes, and who killed Yuu. Making things easier, they are more likely the same person. Alright, let’s start investigating!” she replied. “By the way, I got them back, the thief has some decency to return my notes at my desk.”

So, this will be a hard one, considering we didn’t know who stole them in the first place. Well, let’s see.

By the way, I have never took a close look at the cabins. They have some really nice soundproofing, to the point that the only thing you hear at the outside are the knocks at your door. I decided to search my own cabin, since some shenanigans happened with my notebook. However, for some reason, I wasn’t let in. “Investigation purposes,” they said. So, I went to the greenhouse, where the flowers are.

No one went to the greenhouse, for some strange reason. I checked the nearby shed, where they store the gardening tools. There is a small hatchet, a trowel, a spade, and a wheelbarrow. There’s also sacks of fertilizer, ammonium nitrate, to be exact. However, I noticed the particular absence of shears. This will be important.

I then went to the warehouse, to check for any missing glassware. There seemed to be none. There’s also a missing gas mask, and a pair of rubber gloves were lost as well. These will be of note.

I went to the kitchen, since the poison was administered by using one of the cinnamon rolls at the pantry. As far as I can remember, at my last visit, there’s only one roll left at the pantry. It’s safe to assume that it wasn’t restocked by the manager, for some reason. You know what, these coincidences are driving me mad. There must be some malevolent force that keeps making these contrivances. Perhaps, a conspiracy?

Barely thirty minutes in, however, and the speakers started running. An announcement was playing out.

“Please proceed to the crash site. The trial for Yuu Nanami’s death has begun.”

Something very wrong is going on. It seems that the culprit has been deduced that quickly. There is definitely a conspiracy going on, and it will not end well for the receiving side.


	12. Chapter 2-The Trial for Yuu Nanami

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuu Nanami, the Class 50 ???, was murdered. This is her trial.

The trial site is still the same. 20 seats, arranged in a circle. Dead students are replaced with memorial photos. Same position as always. However, I shall never forget this trial.

Immediately after the gavel strike, Megumi started stating rapid fire arguments, as if she knows who did it, and how.

“First of all, the notebooks. Now, the culprit must have stolen Erika’s notes, used them to make the poison, and put it on the roll. I know who stole Erika’s notebook. It was...

...Nozomu Kanagawa. You did it!” she screamed, pointing her finger at me. Everyone was shocked. How did she arrive to that conclusion that quickly?

“What are you talking about? We barely debated about anything, in fact, we never even discussed anything, and now you are accusing me of being the culprit?”

“It was startlingly obvious. How can you explain the urn at your room, containing ash? Also, explain the shears just placed on top of your desk.”

When I woke up, those two artifacts were already there. Someone must have planted them. And since only her brought that issue up, it's probably her.

“Plus, I found my notebook. The thief must have briefly consulted my notes, then returned it. But why? To avert suspicion? Probably.” Erika said.

“Well, they probably copied it somewhere. Kanagawa, show us your notebook.”

I grabbed my notebook from my coat pocket, and showed its contents. “There! Are you happy now?”

“Every. Single. Page.”

I started turning the pages of the notebook. And then... a page, containing what seems like a formula for something. The worst part? They had my handwriting. I just realized that a frame-up is happening. I am the victim.

“ALRIGHT. WHO WROTE THIS? SOMEONE IS FRAMING ME UP! MEGUMI!”  I screamed, presenting the notebook. Erika was in shock.

“You, obviously.” Makoto coldly dropped. “It’s your handwriting. Are you that blind?”

“Well, it wasn’t me! My notebook went missing for a while, around the same time Erika’s notebook was missing! How can I write in that?”

“That’s a lie. I saw your notebook on the shelf when I last checked.”

“Checked? I never knew you went to my room, Megumi.”

And then, the realization struck. Megumi stole both of our notebooks. She wrote on mine to frame me up, made the poison, put it on the bun, and killed Yuu. She then planted the urn she used to make the poison at my room, to further press me as the culprit. It is glaringly obvious, yet why has no one called her out on it? She is blatantly lying, bringing up faulty evidence, and yet somehow, no one is questioning this. NO ONE IS QUESTIONING THIS.

Epiphany struck at the worst possible moment. Remember the times I talked about a conspiracy going on, and how it would suck for the receiving end? Turns out, I am the receiving end of all this. I am starting to see all sort of ugly parallels to one of my books, where a king is betrayed, put on a mock trial, condemned by an apathetic court, and sentenced to death. This will be a bad time. I started screaming, trying to wake the consciousness of everyone involved. Maybe I can try and stop this.

“YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS A CONSPIRACY! EVERYONE IS IN THIS! TELL ME, WHY NO ONE HAS QUESTIONED MEGUMI’S ARGUMENTS! YOU ARE ALL IN THIS!”

No one said a word. Just as the court condemned the king by doing nothing, so did my classmates condemned me to death by doing nothing. You know what, never mind all of this. If the mastermind is playing by the rules, we’d all be executed, and Megumi gets to walk off with that smug grin of hers.


	13. Conclusion to Chapter 2: The Final Drama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Second Chapter of this story has been concluded. Nozomu Kanagawa was found guilty of a crime he did not commit.

 

Everyone was just standing there, afraid to speak up, while Nozomu was having a breakdown. Honestly, his reaction to the events were justified. Here he was, being accused of a heinous crime, yet no one dared stood up and prove his innocence. Time to make a difference, I guess.

“Well, Megumi, why are you so quick to accuse Nozomu?”

“Of course! He is such an obvious culprit, that such a trial like this is a mere formality. Now, if you don’t mind, roll in the votes.”

“And why are you so quick to want him dead? Perhaps... you are the culprit?”

“No, Fumimaro. I say, you are in league with the true murderer. Why are you so hard on defending him?”

“And why are you so hard at accusing him, huh?”

“Everyone in favor of wanting Nozomu dead, raise your hand.” she coldly announced to everyone. She raised first, obviously. Hideki followed next. Then Sakura, then Rantaro, then Nagisa. Erin followed, then Erika. Then, Ayumi, Maria, Mitsuhito, and Miaya raised theirs, deciding the verdict. Only the Lichtenbergs, Makoto, and me, didn’t raise.

“So be it. Manager, start the voting so we can finalize our decision.”

“Hold on for a minute. Megumi, you antagonized Nozomu since day one. You accused him of many things, based on nothing but lies and falsehood. While yes, you guys may see me as an utter prick, that’s the truth. I never lie. Now, this is not what I call truth. Everyone is entitled to a fair trial, Megumi.” Makoto boldly stated. “And this is why I won’t vote. The Manager never added an innocent option anyway, so I abstain.”

“We never knew kangaroos existed in Siberia, but this trial proved it to us.  We abstain, as part of the Lichtenberg tradition of upholding truth.”

“Blah blah blah. Shut your honor nonsense. We are currently at 5 votes guilty. Do you vote, or not?” the Manager asked, with a dismissive expression on his voice.

“We do not want innocent blood in our hands. We will have none of this. I abstain.”

“Thank you, so much. However, if this is my fate, I’ll accept it.” Nozomu said to us, then to the guilty voters, “It’s your decision now. You have condemned an innocent soul to death. You voted guilty on a man who had done nothing against you. And remember, voting for the wrong person will result in the culprit, _which is obviously Megumi_ , escaping, and everyone else dying. And with that, I have five words for you all. Well, all except for the abstainers.”

“See you all in hell.” he said as the final tick on the tally counter brings the vote up to 9. The gavel pounds, and the Manager gladly announces, “And the verdict is... Guilty! Nozomu Kanagawa, the Class 50 Novelist, was responsible for Yuu Nanami’s death! Let’s give it everything we’ve got! It’s punishment time!”

You know when I said that if the Manager is playing by the rules, we’d all be executed? Turns out, he is a massive liar. As I stood at my place, with Megumi’s insulting smirk drawn all over her face, a rifle was pointed at the back of my head. Cast-iron cuffs were put on my hands and feet, and then the man ordered me to walk. Two other men carrying rifles flanked me, like I am some sort of prisoner in death row. I took one last look back, and I saw the Manager, leading the crowd of students. Due to recent events, I don’t know if I should interpret that as a crowd of funeral mourners or a powder-keg crowd wanting someone lynched, Regardless, the march stopped when I stood on the edge of the cliff near the frozen lake. The rest of the students watched from the rope bridge. One of them shouted out loud, “Glory to the revolution! Death shall come upon the tyrants of the world!” The other guards proceeded to tie a noose on my neck, and then...

_BANG!_


	14. Chapter 3-New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Naegi Fumimaro, the new protagonist of this tale. This story isn't over yet. Sixteen survivors. Who will die this time?

They shot Nozomu off the cliff. His lifeless body fell off, with the spool of rope quickly unraveling. I barely saw his death when a stray bullet hit me in the left eye. I collapsed due to the pain, almost falling off the bridge, if it weren’t for Makoto catching me. The Manager was shocked to see the crowd rushing to the infirmary, and followed suit. I am starting to gently tread the boundary between life and death. A couple of days later, I woke up.

By the way, for anyone following my story, I have been filling the gaps of the previous chapter. I decided to fill in the gaps Nozomu forgot on his notebook. Since he has been executed for a crime he didn’t commit, I’ll take over now. My name is Fumimaro Naegi, and here is the rest of the story.

I woke up in a hospital bed, with the Lichtenbergs sitting nearby. It’s a miracle I’m still alive, considering I was shot in the head. Guess I was lucky after all. I rose from the bed, and stood up. The first thing I noticed is my lack of depth perception. As I looked at the mirror, a bandage was put on my left eye. I was shot there. To reiterate: I survived being shot in the head. But then again, my pretty thick glasses helped a bit. Gregory welcomed my recovery by giving me a warm hug. That was sudden, but I’d welcome it. I deserve it, for surviving such a situation. Anyways, where was I, oh right, continuing this test of sanity of a camp. I checked the time and the calendar and it was at December 29, 1984, at 7:00 AM.

Stephanie gave me an eyepatch as a gift for a successful recovery. It was a black leather one, with a pretty sturdy strap. I thanked her for such a gift, and for doing everything in her capacity to help. As you may know, she is one of the abstainers for Kanagwa’s case. I gave her a hug, then removed my bandage and put it on. I then walked to my cabin to take a bath and change back to the uniform and coat. I walked to the hall, and immediately at my arrival everyone crowded to meet me, as if some sort of celebrity. Various greetings were given to me, for recovering from pretty much certain death. I appreciated the popularity, and then sat down. I noticed the absence of a certain framer and part time murderer at the table, but I didn’t mind. The absence was noticed by Koizumi, but no one bothered to check. Murata arrived late, as usual, but he came with the announcement. The gate at the end of the bridge is now open. He also announced that we should travel in groups of four. We are grouped as follows:

Koizumi, Murata, Hosokawa, Hinata.

Fukagawa, Koishikawa, Hakone, Tsukuda.

Hayashi, Nakamura, Kisanagi, Saionji.

Shiroyama, Naegi, Gregory, Stephanie.

But first, I went to the valley site. I noticed a brown trench coat and a flat cap just lying around. I checked it, and there seems to be bullet holes at the back. I took these articles of clothing, and then put it at my coat rack, as an impromptu memorial shrine for Kanagawa. After that, I called Shiroyama and the Lichtenbergs, and went off the bridge.

The first thing I noticed is the torch burning by the hill. I checked it, and it seems like it’s some sort of shrine. There are pictures of the dead students encircling said torch, and two empty spaces. I can see the cabins from the hill, and if my vision is better, I can just distinguish a chain-link fence encircling the perimeter of the area. I can see an area obviously blown up by some sort of explosive; that is Sateshima’s death site. I can also see a mansion, made out of pine. However, it was surrounded by a fence, meaning further exploration to that site have to wait.

I went down the hill and saw a cabin near a thick forested area. I also saw Koishikawa’s group there. The sign on the front door said “Hunting Cabin”. Shiroyama tried opening it, but it was locked. Guess further exploration inside will have to be postponed another day.

After further exploration, we noticed this peculiar pair of houses near a thick forest. Shiroyama and I decided to explore the one on the left, while the twins explored the right house. Upon entering, it seems like this cabin is inhabited by someone. There are a couple of rifles arranged in a rack, inside a locked case. He better not be having ideas. There’s also a large wood ax on a rack that is too high for anyone to reach, not even with a foot stool. He then brought to my attention a picture by the desk. It depicted Headmaster Kamakura, President Towa, and Principal Sayawara discussing matters with someone in full business attire. Upon closer inspection, the appearance of the man in question looks pretty identical to the person at the profile. I kept a mental note at this picture. I checked the desk further, and there seems to be a locked drawer. I then saw him trying to open the gun case with a key, which he said he found under the pillow. I asked him to stop, and give me the key. It fit to the lock at the drawer perfectly, and it opened in one turn. I checked the drawer, and there seems to be a black tube, attached to a power source inside. However, upon turning it on, it emitted a strange bluish-purple light. I tucked it under my coat, then left.

I met with the twins, and asked what they found. They gave me some cryptic assortment of letters and symbols, with a message written in German. They said that the note read the equally cryptic message, “Knowledge for the price of victory.” Of course, Shiroyama, not being a fan of solving riddles, grabbed the note, crumpled it, and then threw it on the ground. Gregory picked it up, gave it to me, and then said to Shiroyama, “No littering.” He apologized. I tucked the note to my left pocket, then went to a cabin that had attracted the attention of many. The cabin was secured with police tape, and upon entering, I saw Hideki’s group there, with Hosokawa closely investigating nearby. A chalk outline was drawn, next to a weirdly clean hatchet. For a crime scene, there seems to be no trace of blood, not even taking into account the fact that it may be wiped off. Regardless, I talked to Koizumi about the discovery.

“What is this?”

“Probably a crime scene. As if the tape, the outline, and the fact that various items are numbered off didn’t give it away already.”

“Well, who do you think died in here?”

“Not sure. However, I can see your friend Gregory looking particularly distressed by all this.”

“I can see as well. For some unknown reason, it seems that he is reminded of something traumatic.”

“Let’s stop talking about this scene for now. Found any clues?”

“This picture.” I said, before giving him the frame.

“Hmm, this is strange. What do you think they’re doing here?”

“Well, that may be the scene where the mystery student was expelled, but neither Towa nor Sayawara were in power at the time, I believe. Plus, the man was wearing business attire, not the school uniform.”

“Well, why did you think it was the student in the first place?”

“The man has an uncanny resemblance to the student at the profile. Also, I found this. Can you tell me what it is?”

“That is a black light. It emits UV light, which enables you to see various stuff not visible to the naked eye, like wiped off stains, or disappearing ink. Keep it, it may be useful someday.”

I then switched off the lights, then turned on the black light. It emitted a bluish-violet glow, but there seems to be no stains at all. I turned the light back on, then walked away. I saw Gregory still looking pretty distressed. I decided to start talking to him.

“Hey, Gregory, what’s wrong?” I said, while patting his back.

“You know the crime scene at the cabin? Well, last night, Steph and I received some very threatening letters, from an agent who claimed to be from the Aveleighn mob. I don’t know how they reached us in the first place, but if they are true, well...”

“Then why the sudden discomfort on the cabin? You were acting pretty jovial before, as if you never received such letter in the first place?”

“You see, the mob prefers to kill snitches through discrete methods. Usually, a ‘woodlands accident’ is a euphemism, meaning killed with a hatchet in the middle of the woods.”

“I see. Well, there’s nothing to worry about. After all, we are stuck here, in complete isolation. No one has contacted us or made an attempt at rescue or anything, in fact, we may even be declared legally dead! What are you talking about....”

As I said that, I felt like my sanity is slowly slipping bit by bit. Maybe it’s due to the isolation from the rest of civilization brought by the woods, or the fact that my closest comrade was framed for a crime he didn’t commit, or some sort of psychological impact caused by a literal bullet impact to my left eye.

“Maro, are you okay?” he asked, while I’m still pretty lost in thought.

“Yes, I am fine. It’s not like I harbor some sort of hatred for everyone who condemned my friend to a horrifying fate or anything.”

“If you are talking about Nozomu, then relax, Maro. We did our best. It’s time to leave the past, okay? Everything will be fine. Come on, let’s go. We’d probably be late for the dinner meeting.” he said, before bringing me back to the hall. However, I decided to stay inside my cabin, and skip dinner.

I laid on my bed, in some sort of fetal position. I started mumbling Megumi Saionji’s name over, and over, and over again, as I slowly get lost in my madness. I was overcome with guilt over not sufficiently giving a proper defense for Nozomu. I stared at the coat rack, still having his bullet-ridden coat, and various thoughts started going in my mind, none of which are pretty. I kept blaming myself, pulling my hair out and banging on the wall. Then, I started giving the fountain pen at my desk a dirty look. I started going to my desk, sat down, grabbed a sheet of paper, held the pen firmly at my hand, and pointed it at my right eye. I was on the verge of taking out my other eye, when a series of knocks disturbed my feverish bout of madness. I answered the door, and it was Stephanie, bringing over a meal of bread and sausages. I then forgot: It was supposed to be my assignment. I didn’t know Gregory asked to serve meals today. Doesn’t matter, at least I was saved from an act that would have made me completely blind to reality. She brought the meal to me, then started comforting me.

“My brother told me that you were acting a bit peculiar. Does the death of Nozomu bother you?”

“Of course. I can’t believe that even happened. I think it was my fault for not putting up a sufficient defense. Saionji’s statements were a pile of lies, and I knew it! Why did I made no attempt to refute it! I’m a failure!”

“No, you are not, Maro. You did everything you could. We did everything we could to save him. Unfortunately, apathy got the best of us.”

“Why then, did the Manager went on with the decision? Surely he would know Kanagawa was innocent, right? Why then, did he buy Saionji’s lie?”

“That is a mystery for another day. For now, eat up. The insanity you are experiencing is probably just hunger.”

“Thank you so much, Stephanie.”

“No problem, Maro. Now, don’t worry about anything for now. Your primary goal here in this camp is to survive. For I know you are destined for great things.”

Destined for great things, huh. Seems unlikely. So far, I’ve lost my contact to the outside, my friend, my eye, and probably my vision if Stephanie hadn’t stepped in. I decided to not heed Nanami’s instruction and opened one of the envelopes. It contained a pretty cryptic message. It read,

“Out of sapling comes hope.

Out of the island comes despair.

The twins will come and go,

Together they’ll cause change.

Lasting change to the status quo,

And it will not be the same again. 

I thought about it for a moment, then put it back inside. I still had a couple of hours left, so I grabbed a copy of Kanagawa’s novel, then read myself to sleep.


	15. Chapter 3-Motivations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Manager decided to spice things up by adding a motive.

I woke up, but didn’t leave my room. I still felt angst over Nozomu’s loss. As long as the trench coat hung over the coat rack, I’ll never forget the person. Regardless, I sat down and read some more. A couple of knocks rocked my door, however, and so I decided to answer it. The twins were at my front door, and they decided to check if I died or something. I gladly accepted their meal, then closed my door. I have no intention of leaving.

I spent hours inside, never making any outside contact. I decided to never trust anyone, after what they did. And lo and behold, someone decided it would be funny to stick a hatchet at my door. I went out, and saw a cloaked figure run off into the woods. I’m assuming they stuck the hatchet. Regardless. I realized this wasn’t healthy at all, and went outside. But first, I took out the hatchet, and put it at the warehouse.

After that pretty unusual prank, I then went to talk to Kisanagi for a bit.

“So, are your opinion to the Lichtenbergs still the same?”

“Yes, they’re a bunch of godless Communists. That will never change.”

“And tell me, why do you think that’s the case?”

“They obviously came here to undermine the Japanese government, stage a coup, then set up a Communist dictatorship! Come on, isn’t that obvious?”

“You sound like my middle school history teacher. Anyway, why do you have such an aversion to Communism, huh?”

“Why are you asking questions like this, huh?”

“I just want you to know that they’re not the bogeyman you so preached about.”

“I still remain steadfast in my beliefs! They are godless Commies, and they came to ruin this country!”

He then proceeded to give a long and boring rant that made me reminisce of my memories with that history teacher. It was a bad idea talking to him at the slightest. But then, he said something that struck a nerve.

“If I had to kill them to save the country, I’ll gladly do it!”

Upon saying that, I immediately ran off and warned Gregory.

“Gregory, be warned. Kisanagi may be dangerous. He is willing to kill you for the sake of ‘protecting the nation.’ You have been warned.”

“Empty threats from a paranoiac never scared me. Although, that seems more likely than an Aveleighn mob hit, so I’ll watch my back.”

“So, want to go to the kitchen and have a nice cup of tea?”

“I prefer coffee instead, but sure.”

And so we went to the kitchen, and had a nice cup of tea together. However, we were interrupted by a sudden announcement.

“Everyone, meet me at the assembly hall. We need to talk.”

It was the Manager’s announcement, and we went there together. Then, when the hall was filled with everyone, the Manager, in his signature black garb, showed up.

“Good morning, campers! I just want you to know that I am pretty bored of the current events. It has been a week without someone’s guts serving as fertilizer for the pine trees! Well, I didn’t think I’ll need this, since the last two murders proved my motive was sufficient—“

“Kanagawa’s case didn’t have a motive!” I screamed.

“Interrupt me one more time, One-Eye, and the punishment is death. Anyways I’d like to say, the previous case was pretty inadequate. So, for the next trial, we’d be promoting some actual logical debates on Nanami’s case. But wait, there’s more! I have trusted someone to be a spy among your group. There will be a special incentive for the person who finds them and offers me their head; you get to choose two people to escape with! How awesome is that! Anyways, that is all I have to say. Sayonara!”

“Oh great, a motive. By the way, I have been asking this question a lot, but where the hell is Megumi?” Koizumi asked, but everyone just gave him a disapproving shrug.

“Who cares about that liar? She’s better off dead. All she does is start trouble. She convinced Akira to murder Junpei, for example.”

“Pardon me, Maria? Did she just do that?” Nakamura asked with a disbelieving tone.

“Yes. I have overheard a conversation earlier. Akira consulted Megumi since she heard about Makoto’s murder plot. Megumi, being very helpful, insisted that she kill Makoto, instead of warning everyone about the plot in Junpei’s life.”

“And I believe that she actually did the murder of Nanami. Her being the mole isn’t that far off, actually.” Stephanie added.

“Yeah, she is very bad at her job. Not the ‘do the dirty work part,’ the ‘being subtle’ part.”

“I agree with Gregory here. She is as subtle as a nuclear explosion. If she really is the mole, then it’s confirmed. Reality is stranger than fiction.”

While we are discussing Saionji’s sloppy job at being subtle, the clock struck 6. Which means it is dinner time. We all went to the mess hall, however, Murata has this to say:

“Wait a minute, who is serving the meals? No one reported to me.”

We forgot about that, so we decided it by popular vote. Obviously, Hakone won, since he serves the best food. We gave his group thirty minutes in the kitchen, then we had dinner.

The dinner meeting was uneventful. No discussion happened, we just ate. After that, back to the cabins we went. As usual, I spent the night reading. There isn’t much I could do.


	16. Chapter 3-A Tragedy in Plain Sight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naegi's feeling a bit more hopeful than usual. And you know what happens after that.

I woke up, not minding the grating alarm. I prepared my usual daily utilities, then went to the hall like I usually do. I met the twins there, and we were overjoyed that Nanami is getting a proper trial. Plus, we get to finally bring the true culprit to justice. Breakfast came, and Shiroyama, for some reason, volunteered. He is always the worst cook in our class. When he takes charge, it always seems either overcooked, severely burnt, or undercooked. Breakfast came, and the meat was so raw, it’s pretty much a biohazard. We basically decided to eat the remaining loaves of bread at the pantry, long after they’ve gone stale. After that pretty horrible breakfast, I accompanied the twins on their way back to their cabins. However, this will be the day I won’t forget.

So we basically walked down the path to our cabins. Their cabins are the farthest away from the hall, so we started talking about various topics. We took our time going there.

“I want to ask, how’s life at East Germany?”

“Pretty bad. We never stayed in one place anyway. We are always on the run.”

“Besides, settling down makes you an easier target.”

“We have a collection of passports and false identities we forged to escape the mob. In fact, I’m known here in Japan as ‘Hinata Sato.’”

“And I’m known as Sakura Sato. We took the most basic of identities.”

“Well then, why did you use your real identities in signing up to the Academy?”

“We are famous as the Lichtenberg twins, not the Sato twins.”

“Makes sense.”

However, I sense a lingering terror. It seems as if someone is creeping up on us, with malicious intent. I was suddenly surprised, when, out of the blue, Gregory shoved me aside. “Run! Just, run!” he shouted. We started running, but then, we looked back.

When I turned my head to Gregory, I saw a woman holding a hatchet. Gregory was doing his best to fight her off, but she disabled him with a good kick at the stomach. She then grabbed her hatchet, and started burying it in his skull. Stephanie let out a scream, which grabbed the attention of everyone else. A crowd started to form, watching as the woman split open Gregory’s head with the hatchet. I identified the woman instantly; she is Megumi Saionji. We started running, and when we reached Stephanie’s cabin, she locked herself in. Saionji then started chasing us, with a crazy expression in her eyes, when she suddenly stopped at Stephanie’s cabin. She then tried hacking the door of the cabin open, when she saw the massive crowd that had gathered around the path.  She left the hatchet at the door, then ran off, but he was tackled by Fukagawa. After the confrontation, the speakers started playing.

“Oh Megumi, you just had the audacity to commit a murder in public. Look at how it turned out. But I’ll be nice to you and not kill you on the spot. We’ll be giving Megumi Saionji the right for a trial. Investigation will be limited to just an hour. By the way, there’s a surprise inside Stephanie’s cabin!”

Fukagawa had Saionji in a chokehold. The rest went to Stephanie’s cabin. The sight was horrifying. She laid there, in a pool of her own blood. A knife was firmly held in her left hand, and a note on her right. I grabbed the note, which contained nothing but random symbols and letters. It wasn’t a dying message, but the symbols matched the cypher on the other note, so I kept it. This is barely a trial.


	17. Chapter 3-Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saionji Megumi is interrogated by the other students, due to the blatantly obvious murders she committed.

An investigation is unnecessary. Megumi Saionji killed Gregory Lichtenberg. Stephanie then killed herself to deny her the satisfaction of killing her. However, for some peculiar reason, we were given an investigation period. The files are unnecessary as well, and seeing as he didn’t give out one, the Manager knows this. Well, I think we have to know who the mole is, I guess. But again, it’s Saionji. I think it’s just for tradition. However, I still tried to gather a couple of clues.

Koizumi gave Fukagawa rope to tie Saionji up, in case she tries to escape. I looked further in her room, and saw a bottle of peculiar pills. I decided to leave them alone. They may be poisonous. Shiroyama then grabbed a chair, and tied Saionji to it. Interrogation time it is.

“So, Megumi. What do you know about the mole?” Hideki started the questions.

“I have no idea what are you talking about!”

“Well then, what do you know about Nanami’s death?”

“Kanagawa did it! He is dead, he was executed like a murderer! Why are we still bringing it up?”

“Well, I’m afraid you are lying.”

“I am telling the truth! I saw Kanagawa put poison at the cinnamon roll to kill Nanami!”

I’m afraid that’s a lie. About the evidences you brought up in the trial, the urn and the garden shears, I saw you plant them. We gathered at his room, after all.”

“No! I saw them there! The fact that they were planted was a lie set up by the sympathizers to the murderer. Why are you accusing me, and not, say, Fumimaro?”

“You just chased the guy with a hatchet with full intent of killing him. Why did you do that, by the way?”

“I wanted to get rid of the filth! These sympathizers deserve death!”

“Sympathizers? Admit it, you were full of shit from the very beginning. The reason why I didn’t join your stupid conspiracy is because I can’t believe a lie that blatantly obvious. A braindead vegetable can still point out the lies you spew out of your mouth.” Shiroyama said, before giving Megumi a hard smack at the jaw.

“Plus, the fact that the abstainers survived the end of the trial proved that you lost the mastermind’s favor. You said that we have to vote guilty, else we will be reduced to pink mist like Sadako. The fact that the abstainers didn’t give the chairs a red paint job immediately made the threat bogus.” Koizumi continued.

“Honestly, this is just sad. I feel sorry for you. So, would you tell us your motives? Why did you agree to work for the Manager?” Shiroyama said, giving her a pitiful stare.

“What the hell are you talking about? I am not the mole!”

“You just said to us that you work for the mastermind and that you’ll blow us up if we didn’t vote at the trial.”

“Manager, can we put Saionji out of her misery? This is just sad.” he requested.

“No. Also, it’s trial time. Your hour has expired. Save the arguments for the trial.”


	18. Chapter 3- A Sudden Verdict

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For some reason, Saionji Megumi was given a fair trial. Let's see how it unfolds.

This brings back memories of the previous trial. Saionji was to speak first, pleading innocence to a very obvious crime.

“First of all, I did not kill the Lichtenbergs. Secondly, I did not kill Nanami. And third, I am not the mole you so proudly accuse me of.”

“Shut up Megumi. My bullshit detector is going off the charts. You killed the Lichtenbergs in broad daylight, you killed Nanami, and you are the mole. In fact, you used your connections to blackmail us into lynching Kanagawa. So please, accept defeat. Maybe the Manager will give you a kind execution. Heck, maybe he’ll let you off the hook because of your grace. But no.” Shiroyama said, giving her a pitiful stare.

“This coming from a failed murderer.”

“Hey, at least I admit I tried to kill a man. You, on the other hand, denied the fact that you actually killed someone.”

“Besides, what were your motives? Why did you do this?” Koizumi asked in a gentle tone.

“None of your business! Over my dead body. Besides, why are you so quick to accuse me?”

“Because you’re such an obvious culprit, that such a trial like this is a mere formality. Now, if you don’t mind, roll in the votes.”  I returned her words when she talked about Kanagawa’s death.

“Not now. I want you guys to know why did she became my mole. Then we can roll the votes.”

“That’s more the reason not to tell it then!”

“Okay. Let’s run a summary of Saionji’s crimes. She convinced Yamaguchi to kill Hanamura, killed Nanami, sloppily framed Kanagawa, threatened everyone to roll with it or blow up, then, when the facade crumbled down because of our abstaining, she tried to murder them. She succeeded with the twins, but did so in broad daylight, in full view of everyone. Now, do you still think these accusations are baseless?” Shiroyama said, showing a full smirk.

“I will not apologize for anything! They deserved it! They deserved to die for being such traitors and snitches!”

“We don’t need your apology. We just need you to admit you did this, and tell us why. You mentioned them being traitors and snitches were the reason you killed them; please elaborate.”

“Actually, I’ll add to that list: She betrayed the Lichtenberg twins. Tell me, are you familiar with Hinata Sato and Sakura Sato?” I asked.

“Yes. They were the identities I forged for a couple of German asylum seekers. Wait, why am I telling you this? Of course not! I do not know these two individuals!”

“Open mouth, insert foot, Saionji. Now, Gregory mentioned the forger they inquired bore the name ‘Megumi.’ At this point, you dug yourself so deep, I think you are in China. And when I mean, betray, I mean it. She was the one who recommended to the twins to go to Japan. She was the one who insured the mob won’t follow them there. And also, take a look at these letters. They allegedly came from the mob, but it was glaringly obvious that you wrote them. Isn’t that right, Miss Class 50 Forger?”

Upon saying those words, she was frozen in shock. She was shocked about the fact that I knew her talent. I continued, “See, Saionji, for you to perform those impressive acts of framing, you must be really good with the pen. You work as a passport forger, right?”

She said bluntly, “Yes.”

“The twins trusted you much. You helped them escape certain death. However, for some unknown reason, you killed them in broad daylight. Which begs the question: Why did you attack the twins with such audacity? Do you think the Manager is going to spare you, the same way he spared you for the murder of Nanami?”

“Hold on, why am I being accused of the murder of Nanami?”

“Because you are the one who framed Kanagawa of the act. Tell me, why would someone frame someone else, unless they’re the murderer, or at the very least, an accomplice? If you didn’t do it, who did?”

“Kanagawa, obviously!”

“False. The fact that you possess incriminating evidence on you doesn’t help matters at all. You had the urn with which you probably made the poison, and the garden shears you used to steal the flower. Also, the fact that you are the mole means you get some privileges from the Manager, like bypassing the curfew, and keys to all the cabins. That’s the only plausible explanation for your theft of the notebooks. Am I right, Mr. Manager?”

“Yes, I did indeed give her the keys to all your cabins. I employed her as a mole since she’s great at destroying unity. Anyways, I want you all to make her say her motives. This trial will not end until that is managed.”

“Let me repeat your crimes, Saionji. You run an illegal forging ring, which let the twins into the country. Keep in mind that the crime here is the forging, not the admission of the two. Then, you started your mole business by convincing Yamaguchi to murder someone. Then, you killed Nanami in such a way that only the mole could have done it. You framed Kanagawa for the crime, and the Manager let you off the hook in favor of executing an innocent. You blackmailed everyone into voting guilty, threatening them with death if they didn’t vote. And since we aren’t currently decorating these seats with red paint, it turned out to be false. So, you decided to kill them yourself. You had the audacity to attack the twins in broad daylight, which turned out to be your undoing. So, tell me. Why?”

She started breaking down, and crying. “I did it all, because I have nothing to lose. My family has shunned me for not showing impeccable skills in traditional dance. My friends turned out to be a bunch of backstabbing traitors, and would gladly betray to save their own skin. I had to make money somehow, and so I used my skills to run a forging ring. That’s when I was noticed by one Dmitry Vasilevsky. He told me that he is planning something great, and that if I joined in on the plot, he’ll adopt me. I gladly accepted. The day came, and while everyone was asleep, I was called by the Manager. He told me that he was—“

She was interrupted by a gunshot wound to the head. “That’s enough of a motive for you. Megumi, you are a horrible mole. You can’t even pull up a convincing frame-up, let alone a murder. You were given a super-stealthy poison, yet you made it as unsubtle as possible. You even had the audacity to hack someone to death in public, then go after their friends and family. Trial is over, meeting adjourned, let us never speak of this again.”


	19. Conclusion to Chapter 3: A New Year's Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Saionji's trial, the remaining survivors host a New Year's Party.

After that trial, I went to the hill. I was surprised to see the torch extinguished. Moreover, the two blank spots were filled off with the pictures of the twins. I checked the hunting cabin, and was surprised to see it unlocked. I didn’t investigate further. There’s still a full day left, so I decided to stay by the hill, read a book, and take a short nap. When I woke up, I went to the mess hall.

I was surprised to see a usual dinner meeting. Usually, after trials, there are no gatherings of any kind. Saionji was an exception. Everyone agreed to forget that a trial even occurred at all. I sat down, and Koizumi grabbed what appears to be a bottle of sake. He grabbed 13 shot glasses, filled them with rice wine, raised his glass, and loudly proclaimed, “For a prosperous New Year!” I was originally confused, but then I remembered the date, December 31. So I raised my glass, and shouted, “For our lost comrades, happy New Year!” Everyone raised their glass, and drank. Hakone then started preparing food for everyone, since what is a New Year party without a feast? Koishikawa went outside and grabbed a crate of fireworks from the warehouse. We started arranging them, and we plan to light them soon.

Meanwhile, the food was done. He also prepared fruit punch, which was great. We started eating and drinking, in celebration to the New Year. All is fun and games... until someone spikes the punch. Which happened. Someone stole Koizumi’s sake and poured it on the punch. Everyone started acting like dogs off their leashes. Of course, I knew the punch was spiked when I took a sip. There were various shenanigans going on, Koizumi was dancing like a drunken fool, Shiroyama was starting fights all over, and some I won’t even go to full detail describing. I looked at my clock, and it was 11:00. An hour left, and it will be 1985.

Then, as if by some drunken magic, they started to behave themselves, sit down, and sing Auld Lang Syne until 11:30. I invited them to go outside, and like the Pied Piper, they started following me in a conga line of drunk high-schoolers butchering the traditional New Year anthem. Since I was the only one that’s moderately sober, I was the one who lit the fireworks in the last 10 seconds of 1984. As I counted to ten, the enthusiasm of the crowd was very much expressed. 1984’s depressing memories of loss will be forgotten. At the final second, I lit the fuse. I shouted “Happy New Year,” and watched as the fireworks blaze through the air. After that, we resumed feasting. It seems as if this tragedy will be over, but no. We’re still trapped inside this test of sanity of a camp. This is a temporary celebration of mirth. The light by the hill was extinguished. Sanity is at its edge.


	20. Chapter 4-The Hunting Cabin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thirteen survivors, and a minor area was unlocked. How would they adapt with the ever declining number of people?

January 1, 1985. New year, new beginnings. Doesn’t make the alarm any less grating. God, I hope I can smash this alarm to bits without being blown up. I decided to spend my time inside, documenting the various events. I’m picking up at Kanagawa’s mannerisms, it seems.

Watching your friends die in horrific ways can do numbers to your sanity, it seems. This is my coping mechanism. I don’t want to be reduced to a slobbering loon in a padded cell, so I try my best to keep it together. I decided to hang out with the only person I trusted: Makoto Shiroyama.

I went inside the mess hall, and almost everyone is there. I sat down on my seat, then waited for the meal to arrive. Murata arrived after a while, and said that there were no new locations opened. He also announced a reassignment of the cooking groups, due to recent events. They are as follows:

Hakone, Naegi, Shiroyama

Koizumi, Hosokawa, Murata

Hinata, Koishikawa, Fukagawa

Tsukuda, Kisanagi, Nakamura.

Hayashi wasn’t assigned anything, for obvious reasons. Anyways, after that meeting, I asked Shiroyama, Murata, and Koizumi to join me to the hill. We started exploring the now open hunting cabin, and it’s what you’d expect in a hunting cabin. Various wolf and bear pelts adorn the place, with stuffed deer heads decorating the wall. What grabbed my attention, however, is a rifle cabinet. It was almost the same cabinet on one of the previous cabins, but the rifle is more deeply ingrained to its case. It also seems like it was fired recently. Plus, the lock is sturdier and the glass seems bulletproof. There also seems to be a desk, with something that looks like our personal notebooks. There are no signs of identification, no names, no tags, no anything. Upon opening the book, it seems like an album. The first one is a class picture of the Class 39, the second is the class picture of Class 40. After that is a picture of a Russian government building. The next picture was a picture of a man with a Soviet passport, then the same framed photo from the previous cabin, and then finally, the same man, living with a wife and a child. The caption on that photo read, “To my wife, Nadezha Ivanovna Lyudmilova, and my son, Fyodor,”, plus some text in Russian above it. I’m assuming that is the translation of the above text. This mysterious notebook is of great note, so I tucked it in my coat.

Shiroyama asked, “Why did we check this cabin in the first place? All we found is a hunting rifle, and some other stuff.”

“Well, no spot must be left unchecked, Shiro.” I replied, giving a smug grin.

“No one calls me Shiro, you dumb bastard!”

“Calm down, everybody. Besides, Fumimaro is right. No area must be left unexplored. Maybe this can give clues for our eventual escape.” Koizumi intervened.

“Makoto, why are you so obsessed with escape so much? Do you miss something?” I asked, gently.

“I have some unfinished business to do. Now if you don’t mind, I have something to do.” he said, before leaving the cabin. We were still confused over his hostile behavior. But it didn’t matter. Although, that rifle in the cabinet raises various questions. It seems that it was fired, and I kind of recognize it as the one Kanagawa was threatened with. Regardless, the rifle brings back painful memories.

And so, I returned back to my cabin. I decided to try my luck at translating the text. Unfortunately, just a few words in, and it seems like a bunch of random letters, as if a monkey got hold of a typewriter. So, I decided to decipher the cabin note instead, using the note I found at Stephanie’s corpse. Here’s what I it said in plaintext:

“The key to solve the mystery is ‘Sagami’.”

I wrote it down at my notebook, looking pretty confused. Sagami? I realized that I’m wasting my time, and tucked the notes away in my desk. I then laid in bed, thinking about my family. What are they currently doing? Do they still anticipate my arrival? Or are we all declared dead, due to the improbable circumstances of the crash? In fact, why isn’t there a rescue mission? Are we in that thick of Siberia? I was so lost in thought that I forgot the knocks at my door. I opened it, and Tsukuda was at the doorstep. Which reminds me, I haven’t heard at her for a while. She told me coldly, “To the mess hall. Now.”

I went there, and I immediately noticed Kisanagi’s exclusion. I also noticed him flossing his teeth. As I sat on my seat at the long table, Koizumi declared, “Alright. Concerning the events of the recent New Year’s party, I hope we have reached a mutual agreement. And what is it?”

“Let us never speak of that ever again.” everyone replied in unison.

“But before we completely forget that incident, I want to know, who’s the buffoon who decided it would be a good idea to mix rice wine with the fruit punch?”

“So you’re saying is, who spiked the punch, right? Doesn’t matter. We must not speak of this again.”

“Shut up Shiroyama. So, any clues you found?”

“This notebook from the hunting cabin we checked earlier.” I said, before presenting said notebook. “The presence of these pictures is interesting, to say the least.

“That the Manager has a serious fascination for herring. Especially Russian herring.”

“I’m sorry, Shiroyama, what was that metaphor?”

“I’m just saying all of these are red herrings.”

He thought about it for a second, then gave Shiroyama a disappointed stare.

“I agree with Shiroyama. We are wasting too much time in solving these mysteries.” Tsukuda added.

“Well, tell me, Maria. What should we do then? Sit around and do nothing? Escape is not an option.”

“Actually, not escape per se, just call for rescue. You have accidentally contributed to it, Erin and Maro.”

“What?” we asked in unison.

“You see, you set those fireworks. That has to get someone’s attention. Either we continue using those fireworks, or use them to blow up the Manager. Tell me the likelier option.”

“Okay. So we set off enough fireworks, hope that gets the attention of Soviet authorities, and we’re out of here, right?” I asked, with a slight hint of sarcasm.

“Soviet authorities? What are you talking about?”

“I think we’re in the middle of Siberia at the moment. Also, fireworks are really great in getting attention, just not the good kind.”

“Well, what do we do then?” she asked, looking confused as to what is going on.

“I don’t know. These mysteries serve as our entertainment, and I kind of appreciate the mastermind for leaving all these kinds of clues, which may relate to the person’s identity, so that, when we escape, we can put his sorry ass on the ‘Top 10 Most Wanted Criminals’ in the Interpol. I kind of get it now, thanks, Maria.” Shiroyama answered.

“Megumi almost said it, although she did refer to one ‘Dmitry Vasilevsky’, so there’s that. Anyways, now that this pointless meeting is over, let’s all go back to our cabins and—“

“Never speak of this again.” Koizumi interrupted.

“Right, that. Anyways, bye. I hope I can see you all tomorrow.”

I left the hall and back into my cabin. As I lay down on my bed, I started thinking various thoughts. In fact, Kisanagi’s innocent flossing made me shiver a bit. Paranoia started kicking in, combined by the fact that you are stuck in a sadistic killing game, in which you can die in horrifying ways, and murdering someone nets gruesome consequences, yet the only way out is murder. I decided to try my luck at escaping. They don’t call me the Class 50 Lucky Student for nothing. I noticed that my bracelet is a bit loose, and with enough tugging, I managed to remove it. I started inspecting the bracelet, and I noticed two holes that seems to sheath two needles. I am assuming they’re there for administering the poison. Furthermore, there seems to be no detonator. Makes sense if you think about it, since the Manager mentioned about landmines littering the perimeter. After giving the bracelet a good hard look, I tucked it under my shelf. Next is gathering materials. The warehouse should provide plenty of them, so I checked. It was still 9:00, so I had time. I looked inside, and there were nothing. The Manager is smart. I checked everything, but I can only find hatchets, bats, and hammers. Only potential murder weapons can be found inside. Oh, and ropes. For a special kind of murder, I guess. I decided to grab a spool of rope anyway, since this may be useful later on. I went back, set the spool under my bed, and then slept.


	21. Chapter 4-An Escape Plot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The survivors planned their escape. It goes wrong. Horribly wrong.

I woke up, prepared my usual amenities, and then put on my clothes, whereupon I have noticed a raincoat and a hat at my coat rack. Upon opening the door, heavy rain was pouring outside. I guess the mastermind must have put it in there to continue our movement despite the storm. I put them on, then went to the hall like I usually do. The first thing I noticed is that not only is Kisanagi excluded from the meetings, so are Shiroyama and Tsukuda. They seemed to be discussing about something, but it would be rude to eavesdrop, so I joined the breakfast meeting. Murata looked around the hall, as if in the search for something, then came back to the table, and announced, “Today, we’d be discussing possible routes for escape. Any suggestions?”

Kisanagi replied, “The Manager said that he’s always watching, always listening. Are you sure discussing this in such a public forum is a good idea?”

“Don’t worry Mitsuhito. There are no cameras in the hall. Anyways, let’s discuss potential ideas to escape this camp. And I just want to clear things up; the landmines at the perimeter will make things difficult. No tunneling, no going over the wall.”

“Let’s try going to Sadako’s death site, shall we? Perhaps she made some sort of valiant sacrifice to let us all escape?” recommended Tsukuda.

“The Manager isn’t dumb. Perhaps there’s an entire minefield at the barrier, and she only breached the inner mines.”

“Wait, are we really sure she blew up? She may have been shot by a gun or a cannon or something.” Shiroyama interrupted.

“First of all, the Manager mentioned mines. Taking his pathological lying into account, however, is the second clue: I saw the blast site.” I replied.

“Well, where did you see it?” he asked.

“From the hill at the second plateau. You can see practically everything, except that there must be a fence to keep animals away. If it weren’t the case, the mines would be triggered left and right. This is actually situated on top of two plateaus, linked with a bridge. There’s also a mansion at another valley site, but I think access to that is locked until... something happens.”

“Well, if he can see that far with just one eye, let’s look for ourselves, shall we? Murata, check the hill site. Tsukuda, join him, and take notes of what you see.” Hosokawa ordered, with the two complying and leaving. The two left the hall, along with Shiroyama, for some reason.

After a couple of minutes, they came back with Tsukuda leaving a note at the table. The note said that using the assembly hall as a reference point, the blast area wasn’t that far away, about fifty meters, followed by a crude wire fence designed to keep bears and deer away. The fence wasn’t that far from the area, and the landmines are clearly marked and sticking out of the ground. They aren’t there for killing people; they’re there to keep people away.

“So what do we do now?” I asked.

“Plan, of course. We know that the mines are there for deterrence, and the fence won’t be that hard to break. Also, I saw a bear make close contact with the fence and walk out fine, so it isn’t electrified. Here’s the plan: we need rope.”

“I have a spool of rope. What do we need them for?”

Murata then whispered me the plan. He never says plans out loud, because he believes that unspoken plans are likelier to work. I nodded, and after the breakfast meeting, I went to my cabin, grabbed the rope I got from the warehouse, then asked Nakamura and Hayashi to join us, to serve as witnesses in case Murata tries anything funny with the rope. We walked down the forest, carefully watching our step along the way. At last, we made it through the mines and the fence. The mines were painted yellow, were large, and generally unsubtle. The fence is strong and sturdy, however, it isn’t electrified, and there isn’t even barbed wire at the top. The rain is still pouring heavily, and now that we’re at the plain part of Siberia, there isn’t much shade to be had. We still had our raincoats on, however. Murata tried to climb a tree, bringing the rope with him, but the combination of the wet raincoat, wet tree, soaked rope, and a gunshot startling him made him fell off the tree. Wait, gunshots?

Yes, a gunshot. It hit a tree, which is comforting. We started running to the hall, with the women taking the lead. What isn’t comforting are the following events. For some reason, we were lost, and started running around the deforested area. We stopped our running when we saw Hayashi getting shot at the head. We turned back, with Murata having an epiphany about our directions, and started running back into the forest. Before we can do that, however, we saw Nakamura getting shot in the leg. She was lying on the ground, screaming in pain. We left her behind, since she’ll be dead weight. We ran back into the forest, but when I turned my back, a gunshot was heard.

No, I didn’t die. But someone else did, namely, Nakamura. She was finished off by a shot to the head. But before I can register the sight of it happening, Murata pulled me back, and said that I should keep on running. The shots have stopped, and after minutes of tireless running, Murata started screaming on the top of his lungs, “Meet me at the assembly hall! I have some very bad news!”

At first, only Hakone, Shiroyama, and Koishikawa came. I started knocking at the cabins, telling everyone that Murata has an important announcement. Some were feeling pretty annoyed, but they came regardless. Murata announced to everyone, “The escape plan was a failure! We were shot at by the Manager!”

Everyone was shocked. “Shot at? What happened, Murata?” Koizumi asked.

“We were being shot at by the Manager! He got Erika and Miaya!”

“So, what are you saying is....”

“They’re dead! They were shot! We barely managed to escape. Do you want to see the bodies? Follow us.”

Murata and I started walking back to the forest, up to the point where he left the heavy rope behind. He showed them Nakamura’s corpse, lying face first to the ground, her blood being diluted by the heavy rain. A couple more steps later, and they were then shown Hayashi’s body, still staring to the skies. Then, out of the blue, the Manager came, which seems weird. Murata quickly lunged at the man, as if he was tackling him and about to give a no holds barred beat down, yet being careful not to raise a single finger to him, else he may end up like Miaya’s brother. “What the hell did you do to them?”

The Manager calmly replied, “Nothing. Nothing at all! In fact, one of you did it! I’ll be holding a trial for this double murder. The usual three hours of investigation will be given to you. Let’s see who did this. Here’s the autopsy report. Bye!” The Manager has left the building.

This case will be pretty easy, since there isn’t much places to get guns. I went to the hill, with Shiroyama and Murata to accompany me. I already have my suspicions.


	22. Chapter 4-The Trial for Erika Hayashi and Miaya Nakamura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erika Hayashi, the Class 50 Poison Technician, and Miaya Nakamura, the Class 50 Peacekeeper, was killed. Who did it?

We know that they both died with a gunshot wound, and they died mere seconds apart. I went to the hill, and immediately I saw some massive changes. First of all, the pictures surrounding the torch were all overturned, a rifle was at the base of the torch, and the hunting cabin was locked. I checked the left cabin, and the rifle cabinet inside is untouched. The rifles are still there, the glass isn’t broken, and the cabinet is still intact. The only source for the rifle at the ground is the hunting cabin. Yet, it was locked, and the door can only be locked from the inside. Since everyone was there at the assembly hall when Murata announced the incident, plus the fact that the rifle was found outside, means that there must be some way to lock the door. And then, a thought.

The first time I visited the hill, there were two missing pictures and the cabin was locked. I decided to test this theory by putting the overturned pictures back into its place. Sure enough, I heard a click. I went to the hunting cabin, turned the knob, and sure enough, it was unlocked. I went in, and my suspicions were confirmed. The rifle cabinet inside was empty, and the heavy lock on the floor is at its unlocked state. But apparently, the cabin wasn’t the only thing that opened. Shiroyama called me over, since he told me that he had found a secret door at the body of the torch. I checked inside, and there was a ladder and a trapdoor on top. Upon opening it, I was surprised to see that water hasn’t accumulated that much, since it was a pretty heavy rain. Still, I got a splash. I looked around, and saw nothing. I noticed, however, that it’s just big enough for a man to lay down. After checking the torch, I had more suspicions. Namely, how did Shiroyama know the secret entrance? The pieces have been falling together. It seems as if the murderer wasn’t being smart, and dropping various details that he shouldn’t had. I checked the rifle one more time, and it was, without a doubt, the murder weapon.

A couple of hours had passed, and while I was inspecting the borderlands for clues, a loud noise brought my attention. I went back to the camp area, and the usual announcement is playing out.

“Please proceed to the crash site. The trial for Erika Hayashi and Miaya Nakamura’s death has begun.”

I went to my seat, facing the Manager. As usual, dead participants are represented by photographs. Murata started the debating.

“Okay. I was the one who informed you about the incident, and Fumimaro was with me. Therefore, we’re both innocent. Understood?”

“Well, I have some leads already, but let’s see the results of your investigations.” I added.

“Alright. Let’s start with the assembly. Pretty much everyone has an alibi for the time of death, 9:30. Rantaro and Fumimaro were with the murder victims, I was in my cabin, and so was everyone else, right?” Koizumi asked.

“Yes, everyone was in their cabin. Since they’re soundproofed, they didn’t hear Murata’s announcement, so I have to knock at your doors.”

“Everyone was in their cabins, except for Erin, Kirigaya, and Makoto. You three, what was your alibi?”

Koishikawa answered, “We were browsing the warehouse together. We checked it to see if we can find any implements to escape with.”

“Escape, you say? Oh no, you aren’t doing that. And a quick question to Rantaro Murata and Fumimaro Naegi, just what were you doing at the borderlands?”

“A friendly meeting at the middle of the woods, why did you ask?”

“Oh, nothing. It’s just the thought that you brought two women and some rope in the middle of the woods that... stimulates me.”

“Cut it out with your pervert shit.” Shiroyama said, ending that otherwise awkward conversation prematurely.

“Anyway, let’s continue. So, Hakone and Koishikawa, you were at the warehouse with Shiroyama, right?” I asked.

“Correct.” they answered in unison.

“At what time did you went to the warehouse?”

“After the breakfast meeting, at just about 9:30. Shiroyama wasn’t with us when we went to the warehouse, but he arrived there 15 minutes later. Then, 5 minutes later, you started calling everyone to the hall.”

“Perfect. That means the murderer is Shiroyama.”

“What the hell? You’re so quick to accuse, eh? Tell me how I could have done it, then?”

“You are the only person who could have done it. First of all, you are one of the only people who knows about the rifle in the cabin. Murata and I didn’t do it, since we were with the victims, and Koizumi didn’t do it as well, since he was on his cabin at the time. Plus, the fact that you know something even I don’t know: the secret chamber by the torch. You used that as a vantage point, did you?”

“What are you talking about? No, I didn’t know about the trapdoor at the torch!”

“Explain then, the fact that the torch didn’t accumulate as much water as it should. Your clothes were soaking wet, even with the hat and coat. The trapdoor drained the water from the cup of the torch and into the base, where it knocked over a few pictures.  After using it to snipe us, you closed the trapdoor again, allowing a little water to form. That’s pretty much the only explanation for that. To reiterate: You went to the hunting cabin, stole the rifle there, then used the torch as a sniper’s nest, shot Nakamura and Hayashi, then ditched the rifle and ran to the warehouse to meet with Hakone and Koishikawa, Is that true?”

“Well, that’s good and all, but I have one tiny question for you, Fumimaro.”

“What was it, Shiroyama?”

“How did I get the rifle? The cabinet was locked, and it was a heavy one as well. I couldn’t have done the old ‘blowing up the lock’ trick with that. Tell me how I did it, and I shall admit guilt.”

At this point, I was legitimately stumped. All I know is that the lock was unlocked, and nothing else. I didn’t know where he got the keys. I answered, “You used a key from... somewhere. When we checked, there were no keys inside the cabin. So tell me, where did you get the key?”

“Correct! I did unlock it with a key. The key was from the glass cabinet at the trash room. It wasn’t just a singular key, but a key ring. So, I figured, one of these keys must unlock one of the cabinets. When no key worked at the one at the left cabin, I decided to try the one at the hunting cabin instead. Surprisingly, it worked. So I set my plan to action. I was actually trying to kill you and Rantaro, but yeah, I’m a bad shot.”

“The fact that you scored two headshots despite being a chemist is impressive, to say the least. So, can you tell everyone, why did you kill the two?” the Manager asked.

“To escape, naturally. You’re the only one outside at the time.”

“Well, Shiro. Why do you want to escape so badly? And why didn’t you join our plot?”


	24. Conclusion to Chapter 4: Paved with Pure Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto Shiroyama was found guilty of the double murder. Plus, a mysterious figure is offering their services to the remaining participants...

First of all, your plot was doomed to fail. Second, I need to make amends.”

“Make amends? Why so?”

“Well, you know why I’m the chemist? Well, I specialize on one particular branch of chemistry. The fun kind, with all the guns and the money.”

“So, you make drugs?”

“For the Yakuza, yes. I’m the son of a wealthy mob boss. I was involved in the family business ever since middle school. I make amphetamines and heroin, they sell it for cash. That’s also why I’m pretty good with firearms; it’s a tough trade.”

“Well then, please continue. I’m interested at the ‘make amends’ part.”

“It all change when I lost a good friend to an overdose. You may know him. His name was Saturo Itoshiki. He just passed away recently, in December 12. At that point, I was planning to leave the family. To make an honest living, out of all the skills in the Academy. Sadly, this plane crash ruined everything. I just want to escape, to make amends, to apologize to all the people whose lives I’ve ruined. But since I was caught in a successful murder plot, I guess this is another way to make amends. So please Manager, roll in the votes. Make this quick.”

With the tap of a button, the tally counter appeared. I pressed my vote, and as it ticks away, the typical sarcastic and biting attitude of Makoto Shiroyama starts to fade. As the deciding vote rolls in, he taps the gavel, and announced,

“And the verdict is... Guilty! Makoto Shiroyama, the Class 50 Chemist, was found guilty of the murder of Erika Hayashi and Miaya Nakamura! Let’s give it everything we’ve got! It’s punishment time!”

At his announcement, two sharply dressed men flanked Shiroyama, one of which pointed the rifle at his head. He was then put on a desk, rifle still at his head, and was given a knife. He was instructed to use it to cut his own fingers off. He had no choice; he had a gun pointed at his head. He started with his pinky, then his ring finger, with every cut accompanied by a haunting scream. Yet he must continue, else the man will blow his head off. He cut off his middle finger, then the index, and finally the thumb. After cutting his thumb off, the man lowered the rifle, allowing him to express his pain properly. He clutched his bleeding left hand, with tears flowing in his eyes. Suddenly, the Manager came to the desk. Giving him a syringe, he said, “Use this to ease your pain.” He was busy yelping in pain to notice, but once he saw it, he jabbed it in his vein. He then started relaxing, looking up, as he slowly shut his eyes permanently. Makoto Shiroyama was executed.

Tragedy. Just one word, but it can mean many things. From the death of a comrade, to the destruction of a country, all are defined as tragedies. But what makes tragedies tragic is the fact that people who didn’t deserve it, experienced it regardless. All of these trials are just tragedy after tragedy, especially Kanagawa. And while comparatively he got off lightly, to an innocent, everything is a tragedy.

I made this speech because this couple of days is what I consider my breaking point. This is the second attempt at my life. It has become abundantly clear that you can trust no one. Apathy, combined with paranoia, is the defining feature of this camp. And so, I went back to my cabin. I was surprised to see a letter on a desk, next to a package. Here is the letter:

To Naegi Fumimaro.

I am a turncoat. I have come here to rescue you, and everyone I can. I have a plan. Consult Maria for more details, but for now, hold on to this package. This will be very vital for our plot. The Manager must not know about this. Stay low. Peace.

-The Turncoat 

The existence of such a figure has never been made known to us. In fact, the credibility of the letter in question is questionable at best. Still, I opened the package, and it was a flare gun. I kept it under my desk, to evade suspicion. I went ahead and slept a restless sleep.


End file.
